Mental Illness Flashcards
what region of the brain mainly increased
- neocortex
how did the brain evolve to be so big (2)
- mutations created genetic variation and phenotypic variation
- selection on variation and response to selection
what does the phrase: “genes for ____” mean
- genetic variation within these genes cause variation in phenotype
- NS can select for a certain phenotype within the variation of the phenotype produced
normal expression of genes for brain size
- usual size of brain
reduced expression of genes for brain size
- microcephaly
increased expression of genes for brain size
macrocephaly
why did the human brain evolve to be so big
- larger social group size -> increased neocortex size in primates
social selective pressures
- produced the social brain: distributed integrated neural system for acquiring, processing and deploying social information
conceptual ideas of the social brain (4)
- self has logic and emotion
- emotion and logic create speech and contribute to goal pursuit
- speech can be used for goal pursuit to maximize fitness
- speech can be used to converse with others
what are the components of the social brain (6)
- language
- sense of self
- mentalistic skill (thinking about what others are thinking
- social emotionality (pride, guilt, embarassment)
- logical and analytic skill
- complex, regulated goal pursuit
large scale variation: under-development of language
- no speech
large scale variation: under-development of sense of self
- reduced sense of self
large scale variation: under-development of mentalistic skill
- low mentalistic skill
large scale variation: under-development of social emotionality
- basic emotions
large scale variation: under-development of logical and analytical skill
- mechanical logic
large scale variation: under-development of complex, regulated goal pursuit
- no goal pursuit
large scale variation: under-development
- result
- typically results in autism
autism
defined by specific deficits in:
- social reciprocity
- language
- restricted interests, stereotypical behaviour
large scale variation: over-development of language
- auditory hallucinations: common among humans
large scale variation: over-development of sense of self
- megalomania: belief that oneself is famous, rich, etc
large scale variation: over-development of mentalistic self
- paranoia and social delusions: believe people are plotting against us
psychosis (2)
- due to over-development of language, sense of self, and mentalistic skill
- auditory hallucinations, megalomania, paranoia and social delusion
large scale variation: over-development of social emotionality
- depression or elation
large scale variation: over-development of logical, analytical skill
- thought disorder: thought and speech become chaotic with loose association between speech & thoughts
large scale variation: over-development of complex, regulated goal pursuit
- mania: extremely energetic and major goal pursuit of sex and money
schizophrenia (5)
- hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, thought disorder, dysregulated mood
bipolar disorder (3)
- mania, depression, psychosis
major depression (2)
- depression and psychosis
schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression
- three conditions share phenotypes, genetic risks factors, and some neurological, physiological correlates
collection of genes for social brain disorders (schizophrenia and autism) (2)
- most case are polygenic: cumulative, small effects of many, common alleles across many loci
- some cases: few rare alleles of large effect and a single loci
how did the human brain evolve to be so social and implications for schizophrenia (2)
- series of genetic changes (mutations) that were strongly selection for led to evolution of alleles for more-complex sociality
- selection of alleles for schizophrenia were also selected for and schizophrenia may be due to having too many social alleles
copy number variation
- deletions and duplications of genomic regions
autistic-psychotic continuum
- autistic spectrum to balanced to psychotic spectrum
- autism is characterized by more mechanistic cognition
- schizophrenia is characterized by more mentalistic cognition
how can Darwin help (3)
- defines large research program
- provides evolutionary framework for therapy
- provides evolutionary framework for pharmacological treatment
