The medical model Flashcards
What is the medical model?
that mental and emotional issues are related to a biological (physical) cause and can therefore be treated by medication and drugs
What are the two key neurotransmitters for the medical model?
dopamine & serotonin
What does serotonin do?
regulates mood to normal levels - calmer, happier, and more focused
How does serotonin link to a mental disorder?
low levels are associated with depression
What does dopamine do?
gives feelings of pleasure, satisfaction, and motivation also associated with: memory, mood, sleep, and concentration
How does dopamine link to a mental disorder?
too much leads to schizophrenia (responsible for positive symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions)
Why can the medical model be criticised?
it is reductionist - oversimplifies complex processes and interactions
How many explanations are there within the medical model?
3
What are the explanations of the medical model?
- biochemical
- brain abnormalities
- genetic
How are mental illnesses biochemically explained?
suggests that there are imbalances of neurotransmitters that affect the transmission of signals between neurons
What are the important biological structures for the biochemical explanation?
- presynaptic neuron (axon terminal)
- vesical sack (holds neurotransmitters)
- cell membrane
- reuptake channel
- synapse
- receptors
- postsynaptic neuron (dendrite)
How do the signals change during the biochemical process?
electrical to chemical to electrical
What effects low levels of neurotransmitters?
can be born with low levels OR can be used up due to environmental triggers and experiences causing low levels
What happens biochemically with depression?
- low levels of serotonin
- presynaptic neuron releases serotonin into synapse
- not as much serotonin binds to the receptors on the postsynaptic neuron
What are the results of low serotonin?
characteristics of depression such as: avolition, low mood, and fatigue
How can we treat depression with drug therapy and how does it work?
- SSRI’s block the reuptake channel giving the serotonin a better chance to bind to the receptors on the postsynaptic neuron
What are SSRI’s?
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibiter
Why do SSRIs block the reuptake channel?
because the reuptake channel will recycle (suck back up) the serotonin back into the presynaptic neuron before it gets chance to bind to the receptors
What happens biochemically for someone with schizophrenia?
- high levels of dopamine
- presynaptic neuron releases too much dopamine into the synapse
- too much binds to the D2 receptors on the postsynaptic neuron
- excites the characteristics of schizophrenia such as hallucinations and delusions
How can schizophrenia be treated through drug therapy?
anti-psychotics that bind to the same receptors on the postsynaptic neuron as dopamine = decrease dopamine binding = decrease positive symptoms
What are examples of drugs that treat mental illness (depression & schizophrenia)?
- SSRI = fluoxetine
- anti-psychotic = chlorpromazine
What technology is used to detect brain abnormalities?
fMRI scans
What brain regions are related to phobias?
- basal ganglia
- orbitofrontal cortex (OFC)
- amygdala
How do brain regions link to phobias?
- basal ganglia = rewards - reinforces avoidance of the phobic object
- OFC = threatening visual stimuli
- phobic object increases activation - amygdala = major processing centre for emotions
- fear of phobic object
What brain regions are associated with depression?
- hippocampus
How do brain regions link to depression?
hippocampus = smaller due to increased cortisol levels
What brain regions link to schizophrenia?
- enlarged ventricles
- visual cortex
- temporal lobes
- frontal lobe
Why do brain regions link to schizophrenia?
- temporal lobes
- understanding of surroundings - frontal lobe
- disorganised thinking - increased activity in visual cortex
What goes the genetic explanation suggest is the cause of mental illness?
depression:
- short telomeres = increase chance of depression
- 2 genetic variants
schizophrenia:
- 108 genetic variants
phobias:
- evolutionary genetic transference
What is the evolutionary explanation of phobias?
Ohman
- predisposition to some phobias to aid survival e.g., snakes and spiders
- environmental triggers
How can Ohman be criticised?
it is reductionist as it doesn’t explain irrational fears such as houses and faces
What are the genetic explanations best studies?
twin adoption studies:
- monozygotic twins share 100% genes therefore it is able to see if mental illness is genetic or a product of the environment
evaluate the explanations according to the nature vs nurture debate
biochemical:
- born with neurotransmitters
BUT
- stress or trauma can cause changes in neurotransmitter volume
brain abnormality:
- born with brain structures but can also be a result of the environment e.g., can be born with a small hippocampus
genetics:
- cannot change genes that are inherited
BUT
- environment triggers (ohman) = epigenetics
evaluate the explanations according to the individual vs situational debate
biochemical:
- dispositional (individual) = neurotransmitters
- situational = stress
brain abnormality:
- dispositional (individual) = brain structure
- situational = stress
genetic:
- dispositional (individual) = genes
- situational = triggers
evaluate the explanations according to social sensitivity and ethics
biochemical:
- over reliance on medication = lack of motivation creates a self-fulfilling prophecy
brain abnormality:
- deterministic = difficult to change leads to labelling and stigma
genetic:
- unchangeable = labelling and stigma
evaluate the explanations according to usefulness
biochemical:
- provides treatment that works (SSRIs)
BUT
- side effects and may not work for everyone
brain abnormality:
- brain plasticity - fMRI helps diagnosis
BUT
- brain plasticity is very hard to change
genetic:
- genetic counselling provides support/ family planning/ adoption
evaluate the explanations according to the free will vs determinism debate
biochemical:
- free will = able to control environment and boost production of neurotransmitters
BUT
- ultimately cannot control - there are individual differences in treatment = may not work for everyone
brain abnormality:
- deterministic - structure cannot be changed
BUT
- brain plasticity
genetic:
- unchangeable = deterministic
evaluate the explanations according to the reductionism vs holism debate
biochemical:
- reductionist - oversimplifies to neurotransmission
brain abnormality:
- ignores complex interactions and oversimplifies brain structure
BUT
- environmental changes are taken into consideration
genetic:
- most holistic - acknowledges interaction = explores interaction between genes = epigenetics
evaluate the explanations according to psychology as a science
biochemical:
- cannot see neurotransmitters due to lack of equipment therefore cannot be measured or isolated
- individual differences
brain abnormality:
- quantitative data (brain scans) = objective
- only a correlation, cannot establish causality
genetic:
- can view the genome
BUT
- holistic view decreases scientific
evaluate the explanations according to ethnocentrism and cultural relativism
biochemical:
- same type of neurotransmitters for everyone
BUT
- cannot tell as cannot be viewed
brain abnormality:
- use of brain scans = not everyone has access to = limits understanding
- not everyone brains are scanned
genetic:
- research only focuses on limited populations therefore cannot fully explain differences in cultures = limits understanding
BUT
- maybe no genetic differences because humans are so similar
What is the key research for the medical model?
Gottesman
What are the different types of treatments of mental illness?
- drug therapy
e.g., schizophrenia = anti-psychotics and depression = SSRIs - ECT
- TMS
What is drug therapy?
aims to treat psychological disorders with medication
How does drug therapy work?
SSRIs = prevents the reuptake of serotonin giving the serotonin a better chance to bind
anti-psychotics = bind to D2 receptors so that less dopamine binds
What is ECT?
Electro-Convulsive Therapy = padded electrodes that send high voltage electrical pulses to the brain inducing a small brain seizure
How does ECT work for depression?
changes the patterns of blood flow and releases chemicals to help the brain recover and grows new cells and neuropathways
What is TMS?
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation = milder form of brain stimulation
How does TMS work for schizophrenia?
stops the voices heard by people with schizophrenia
evaluate the treatment according to social sensitivity and ethics
drug therapy:
- removes accountability and the need for medication labels people for life
ECT:
- severe side effects such as severe memory loss
AND
- not mentioning side effects removes consent
evaluate the treatments according to usefulness
drug therapy:
- takes 3 weeks to work and is less effective over time & may not work for everyone
ECT:
- side effects BUT does work
- immediate treatment
TMS:
- not a long term solution = more expensive
BUT
- very effective
evaluate the treatments according to the free will vs determinism debate
drug therapy:
- deterministic - cannot control neurotransmitters = individual differences
ECT:
- cannot change biology
TMS:
- cannot change activation
evaluate treatments according to the reductionism vs holism debate
drug therapy:
- oversimplifies complex processes to neurotransmission
ECT:
- oversimplifies to blood flow
TMS:
- abnormality of activation of brain regions
evaluate treatments according to psychology as a science
drug therapy:
- cannot measure / operationalise
ECT:
- use of scientific equipment (electrodes) = objective
TMS:
- scientific equipment
evaluate treatments according to ethnocentrism and cultural relativism
ALL:
no culture bias = biology and the brain
ECT & TMS:
not all countries have access to equipment
evaluate ECT treatment according to reliability and validity
reliability = standardised
validity = unsure why it works = lacks explanations
