Mental health topic 2

Question 1

Outline the biochemical explanation of Schizophrenia

Answer 1

could be related to high levels of dopamine, causing an excess of dopamine to reach post-synaptic nerve cells

Question 2

Outline the biochemical explanation of depression

Answer 2

related to low levels of serotonin - means the molecules may be absorbed back into the presynaptic nerve cell too soon so the message may not get passed effectively across the gap, so the body does not respond in the appropriate way to the stimuli it receives.

Question 3

What would treatment be aiming to do in the biochemical explanation of mental illness?

Answer 3

focused on restoring normal levels of neurotransmitter action
Treating depression by blocking reuptake of serotonin
Treating Schizophrenia by blocking receptors in postsynaptic nerve cells

Question 4

What format of treatment is in the early stages of research in terms of the genetic explanation of mental illness

Answer 4

Embryo manipulation to reduce the inheritance of mental disorders by using genetic material from third parents

Question 5

Outline evolutionary theory of mental illness

Answer 5

We have inherited traits that have a positive effect on our chances of survival - a possible explanation of phobias, with people being more cautious of certain things such as snakes surviving more than those without.

Question 6

Outline the genetic explanation of mental illness

Answer 6

certain disorders could be passed from parents to children through genetic transmission
Gottesman showed increased risk if children have two parents have either bipolar or depression.
But as transmission rates are not 100%, there have to be environmental or individual effects that make some people more prone to diagnoses of mental illness than others.

Question 7

What are the likely treatments of brain abnormality as an explanation of mental illness?

Answer 7

Drug therapy, but in some cases surgery may be used

Question 8

Outline the brain abnormality explanation of schizophrenia

Answer 8

difference in brain structure
brown (1989) showed schizophrenia brains were 6% lighter and had enlarged lateral ventricles and thinner para-hippocampal cortices
Weinberger (1992) found there was a difference in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus volume in identical twins, where one had schizophrenia and the other did not

Question 9

outline the brain abnormality explanation of depression

Answer 9

Patients with depression can show smaller brain volume. This might be because they have experienced trauma, leading to the release of cortisol, which can destroy brain cells. This could mean that these hippocampal cells don’t respond to serotonin in the way they normally might, leading to depression
Sheline (1995) found the hippocampus was smaller in women with depression in remission than those who had never experienced it.

Question 10

what was the aim of Gottesman’s study?

Answer 10

To investigate in a large sample the probability of a child being diagnosed with a mental disorder if either or both of their parents had the disorder.

Question 11

What was the sample of Gottesman’s study?

Answer 11

Anyone in Denmark with a clear link to their biological parents who were between 10 and 52 in January 2007 - nearly 2.7 million people and their parents

Question 12

What were the four conclusions of Gottesman’s study?

Answer 12

Offspring “super high risk” of being admitted with the same disorder as parents if both are admitted
Must not be ignorant of the Nazi use of genetic explanation for the eugenic policies - dangerous
Will influence personal decision making with regard to marriage, child bearing and adoption
May lead to a large step forwards in the understanding of the etymologies of major mental disorders.

Question 13

What were the percentages of people being admitted with a diagnosis of Schizophrenia or bipolar if both parents were admitted, compared to one parent and the general population?

Answer 13

Schizophrenia -
Both - 27.3%, one - 7%, general - 1.12%
Bipolar -
Both - 24.9%, one - 4.4%, general - 0.063%

Question 14

Outline SSRIs and how they work

Answer 14

Selective Serotonin reuptake inhibitors
They block the reuptake of serotonin which results in a greater amount of serotonin within the synapse, increasing the likelihood of sufficient serotonin reaching the post-synaptic receptor sites.

Question 15

Outline ECT

Answer 15

Electro compulsive Therapy
Electrodes placed on their temples; an electric shock passed to the brain. The aim is to trigger an epileptic seizure to try and jump start the entire brain - patient is anaesthetised

Question 16

Outline TMS

Answer 16

an electromagnet coil is held near the forehead of the patient, and an electric current creates a magnetic pulse which is targeted to the left prefrontal cortex - patients remain alert and awake during treatment

Question 17

Outline the ethical considerations of application of the medical model

Answer 17

SSRIs - safe - can’t overdose and can’t get withdrawal effects or develop a dependency - but can take 12 weeks to work fully and can be expensive - can be some minor side effects
ECT - risk of memory issues and heart problems - can be expensive

Question 18

How are the applications of the medical model reductionist?

Answer 18

reductionist to suggest mental disorders are only treated in a biological way - without looking at external factors

Question 19

How does the biochemical explanation link to the nature nurture debate?

Answer 19

Nature - your chemical imbalance - biological process
Nurture - taking drugs - potential for environmental influence

Question 20

How does the genetic explanation link to the nature nurture debate?

Answer 20

Nature - DNA- biological affects of Schizophrenia
Nurture - in twin studies there isn’t 100% concordance - suggesting some external impact

Question 21

How does the brain abnormality explanation link to the nature nurture debate?

Answer 21

Nature - if you’re born with differences in your brain - or genetic component
Nurture 0 brain can be altered by experiences e.eg. altered by experiences e.g. head injury or alcohol during pregnancy

Question 22

How does the biochemical explanation link to the Individual/situational debate?

Answer 22

Individual - unique way their brain chemicals function - can be treated with drug therapy because the drugs just affect that one person

Question 23

How does the biochemical explanation link to the Usefulness debate?

Answer 23

Treatments work - Drug therapy can restore levels of neurotransmitters
Less useful - we don’t really know the causes in the first place - why brain chemicals work that way in a person

Question 24

How does the genetic explanation link to the Usefulness debate?

Answer 24

useful - advise potential parents - if they have a condition
Less useful - gene therapy treatment is not very well developed yet - socially sensitive for parents

Question 25

How does the Brain abnormality explanation link to the Usefulness debate?

Answer 25

Useful - still options for drug treatment and surgery
Less useful - more difficult to change the structures of the brain could lead to labelling

Question 26

How does the genetic explanation link to the Individual/situational debate?

Answer 26

Individual - someone’s DNA and genetics which influence the brain - genetic makeup
Situational - could be triggers e.g. we don’t experience a pre-disposed phobia until we experience that thing

Question 27

How does the brain abnormality explanation link to the Individual/situational debate?

Answer 27

Individual - is their own makeup - biological
Situational - environment may have affected their brain

Question 28

Outline sampling bias in terms of Gottesman’s study?

Answer 28

Large sample size - way it was chosen means there is little opportunity for bias because everyone was included
However, all participants had received a diagnosis so doesn’t include any undiagnosed people
Only at a particular time
(1955-1997) - call those who knew their biological parentage

Question 29

Outline Nature/nurture with regard to Gottesman’s study?

Answer 29

Nurture - is not automatic that a child will develop the same disorder as their parents so environmental factors must play a part
Nature - Looks at the probability of a mental illness in children with 2 parents with a disorder - shows risk with 2 parents

Question 30

Outline Freewill/determinism with regard to Gottesman’s study

Answer 30

Freewill - is not automatic - may be issues of environment or free will to explain those - choice to avoid triggers
Determinism - Bological - genetic vunerability