Clinical: Neurotransmitter Explanation (Ud)

Question 1

Describe the monoamine hypothesis.

Answer 1

Low levels of monoamine neurotransmitters = depression.

Question 2

What are the monoamine neurotransmitters?

Answer 2

Serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine.

Question 3

What do the monoamine neurotransmitters regulate?

Answer 3

The brains emotional centres like the amygdala.

Question 4

Why was the receptor sensitivity hypothesis created?

Answer 4

Drugs were developed that alleviate symptoms but didn’t increase monoamine so the receptors must be the problem.

Question 5

What does the receptor sensitivity hypothesis believe causes depression?

Answer 5

Changes in the sensitivity of the post-synaptic receptors. Depression makes receptors super sensitive to reduced stimulation.
Then normal response to deletion of neurotransmitters would be upregulation.

Question 6

What is up regulation?

Answer 6

Increasing the sensitivity of receptors.

Question 7

How does the monoamine theory believe depression is caused?

Answer 7

When serotonin levels drop then so does noradrenaline and dopamine.

Question 8

What does noradrenaline do to the brain?

Answer 8

Provides attention and reward.

Question 9

What does dopamine do?

Answer 9

related to alertness and energy.

Question 10

What are the 2 supporting evidences of the neurotransmitter explanation?

Answer 10

+Mann et al
Found reduced levels of serotonin in suicide patients.
+Backed by the effectiveness of drug treatments as they boost monoamine activity by flooding the synapse.

Question 11

What is the opposing evidence of the neurotransmitter explanation?

Answer 11

Correlation not causation:
Does brain activity cause depression or does depression cause unusual brain activity or is there a third factor causing both?

Question 12

What is the different theory of the neurotransmitter explanation?

Answer 12

The cognitive approach is more empowering and recommends people with depression to change their attitudes and beliefs.
Even if serotonin levels are corrected by drugs it can take weeks for depressive symptoms to fade this could be due to faulty core beliefs.

Question 13

What is the application of the neurotransmitter explanation?

Answer 13

The development of antidepressants:
10-30% of people do not respond to medication and drugs may have unpleasant side effects.