BIOLOGICAL EXPLANATION Flashcards
GOTTESMAN AND SHIELDS
Methodology?
Methodology- review adoption and twin studies into schizophrenia from 1967-1976
5 twin studies & 3 adoption studies
GOTTESMAN AND SHIELDS
AIM?
AIM- to review previous research on genetic transmission of schizophrenia
GOTTESMAN AND SHIELDS
Sample?
Sample-
711 participant in adoption studies
210 MZ twins
311 DZ twins ➡️ twin studies
GOTTESMAN AND SHIELDS
Procedure
Procedure- concordance rates (how often both twins were diagnosed with schizophrenia)
Incidence rates of schizophrenia in parents and children in biological and adoptive families were calculated
GOTTESMAN AND SHIELDS
Results?
Results-
•higher incidence rates of schizophrenia were found in adopted children with a biological parent who had schizophrenia but a child fostered with a schizophrenic parent did not develop schizophrenia…
•ketys study- biological siblings of children with schizophrenia were found to have a higher % (19.2%) than adoptive siblings (6.3%)
•in all twin studies higher concordance rates found for MZ twins that DZ twins
•GOTTESMAN and shields own study- concordance rates for schizophrenia higher for MZ twins-(52%) DZ twins (12%)
EXPLANATION EVALUATED
S C A M P I
S-
•Kagan: found that children with parents who had panic disorders had significantly more fears than normal children & higher ANS levels ( inherit over sensitive fear response)
•Fryer- proband with disorder had 3x as many relatives who experienced phobias compared to normal controls
•Gottesman and shields
EXPLANATION EVALUATED
S C A M P I
C-
•TORGERSON- only found 31% concordance rates for phobias in MZ twins and almost no concordance for DZ twins
EXPLANATION EVALUATED
S C A M P I
M-
•Correlation so only shows relationship doesn’t infer cause and effect
•Scientific as uses objective measure to measure fear responses- GSR IN OHMAN AND SOARES
EXPLANATION EVALUATED
S C A M P I
P -
•can lead to Appropriate treatment - drug therapy : anti-anxiety drugs , anti-depressants and beta blockers
•Lead to measures being put in places to provide help to those who are more likely to develop phobias or schizophrenia
EXPLANATION EVALUATED
S C A M P I
I-
• too reductionist to much focus on internal factors doesn’t acknowledge external factors which could affect things
• to deterministic as no responsibility for individual, results to a reliance on drugs to control symptoms
Diathesis stress model more holistic way of explaining it , we all have a predisposition to anxiety but life experiences play an important role in developing specific phobias
TREATMENT
Anti anxiety?
Chemotherapy - anti anxiety, anti depressants and beta blockers
1) anti- anxiety drugs: diazepam/Valium
Bzs are commonly used to reduce/treat anxiety
They reduce anxiety by working on the CNS(central nervous system). Slow down the activity of the CNS and increase the activity of GABA which have a quietening effect on neurones in the brain
BIOLOGICAL TREATMENTS
beta blockers
2) beta blockers - Antenol
They reduce anxiety by working on the ANS (sympathetic branch) which deals with stress.
They block receptors and bind to the cells around the heart and other parts of the body which are stimulated during arousal
This reduces heart rate, reduces blood pressure and reduces the stress on the heart this REDUCING ANXIETY
BIOLOGICAL TREATMENTS
Anti depressants?
3)anti depressants : Prozac
They increase levels of serotonin which regulates mood and anxiety
MAOA ( anti depressant ) is an enzyme which prevents the breaking down of serotonin
EVALUATION IF BIO TREATMENTS
1) effectiveness
Khan et al: found that BZs were a more effective way of controlling anxiety than a placebo group
Hildalgo: found that BZs were more effective than anti depressants
HOWEVER
Turner et al: found no difference between beta blockers and a placebo group in terms of reducing heart rate and nervousness
ANTI DEPRESSANTS:
MAOI found to be more effective than placebos and more effective in reducing anxiety
IS NOT A CURE
Not a full treatment only focuses on alleviating symptoms
psychosurgery is irreversible once performed
Informed consent some problems
SCIENTIFIC METHOD
