Biological Causes of Abnormality

Question 1

What are the 4 features of the biological approach?

Answer 1

• Biochemistry
• Brain Damage
• Genetics
• Infection

Question 2

Research into infection?

Answer 2

Brown (2004) says that woman who suffer from influenza (flu virus) during pregnancy may have children who will develop schizophrenia in later life.

Question 3

(Infection) What can infect the brain causing mental illness?

Answer 3

• Bacteria and viruses

Question 4

What are neurotransmitters?

Answer 4

• chemicals that the brain cells use to communicate

Question 5

What are imbalances in neurotransmitters said to cause?

Answer 5

• mental illnesses

Question 6

Give tan examples of an imbalance which is said to cause a mental illness?

Answer 6

• e.g. schizophrenia is linked to an imbalance in a neurotransmitter called dopamine

Question 7

Research into genetics?

Answer 7

• Holland et all (1988) show that identical twins (who share 100% of their genes) are both more likely to suffer with an eating disorder than non -identical twins (who share 50% of their genes)