Week 2-Mental Health & Psyciatry

Question 1

What are the main functions of the brain?

Answer 1

Organise sensory input, make sense of sensory+social information, motivate survival, maximize efficiency

Question 2

What is neuroplasticity?

Answer 2

The idea that the brain constantly changes and adapts

Question 3

What can anxiety and depression be conceptualised as?

Answer 3

A self perpetuating network of positive feedback loops, arising from normally adaptive responses

Question 4

What are the 2 main types of anxiety?

Answer 4

Trait anxiety and state anxiety

Question 5

What are the main symptoms of depression?

Answer 5

Low self worth, low mood, low energy, anhedonia

Question 6

What does self harm include?

Answer 6

Non suicidal self injury (cutting, burning, pinching, scratching) as well as suicide

Question 7

Why may someone self harm?

Answer 7

To feel something instead of numbness if they are depressed etc, as self punishment, you believe you deserve bad things should happen to you, to get attention/support, temporary relief from anxiety (you have control over your punishment)

Question 8

What is negative reinforcement?

Answer 8

When there is a state of distress you carry out stress reducing behavior which brings temporary relief. Eventually you may get urges to do this stress reducing behavior over and over (compulsion)

Question 9

What is addiction?

Answer 9

Repeated negative reinforcement in the context of persistent states of suffering/distress/tension and involves direct action on neural circuits

Question 10

What is OCD?

Answer 10

Characterized by intrusive thoughts/images (which are distressing and involuntary) and compulsive behaviors (serve to relieve states of anxiety and tension). There is cementation of habit formation

Question 11

What can lead on from diet restriction?

Answer 11

1- Bulimia: eating, binging, distress, purge, temporary relief

2- Anorexia: weight loss, cognitive inflexibility, compulsion

Question 12

What can be classified under madness

Answer 12

Phsychosis, delirium, dementia, personality disorder

Question 13

What is psychosis?

Answer 13

Hallucinations, delusions and/or thought disorder aka a reality failure (pathologies that disrupt the process of perception and interpretation of reality)

Question 14

What is consciousness?

Answer 14

Modular, parallel processing

Question 15

Why may we interpret things incorrectly?

Answer 15

Sensory input is pre consciously modified to fit expectations

Question 16

What are auditory verbal hallucinations?

Answer 16

Thoughts/internal monologues experienced as external

Question 17

What are delusions?

Answer 17

Fixed, false, unshakeable belief

Result of efforts to make a sense of perplexity, often persecutory

Question 18

What is schizophrenia?

Answer 18

Hallucinations, delusions, delusions of control, delusional perceptions, anhedonia, apathy, social withdrawal, blunted mood, disorganized speech

Question 19

What is the genetic background of schizophrenia?

Answer 19

Has a very significant genetic component, multifactorial (many genes involved), excess of striatal dopamine

Question 20

What is the role of dopamine?

Answer 20

Anticipated reward, reward prediction error signaling, salience (sense of importance attached to perceptions)

Question 21

What causes psychosis?

Answer 21

Genetic components, developmental adversity/ abuse, neuro developmental problems, life stressors, relationship with recreational drugs

Question 22

How is psychosis treated?

Answer 22

Antipsychotics, psychological therapy, social support

Question 23

Describe the neurobiology of psychosis medications

Answer 23

Dopamine blockers are used (in cerebrum, striatum and pituitary)

Can have many side effects: prolactin, metabolic, GI, haematological etc