Biological approach to abnormality
- Created by: Amy
- Created on: 30-12-12 16:20
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- Biological approach to abnormality
- Causes
- chemical imbalance
- mental disorders are explained in terms of an imbalance in the concentraion of neurotransmitters
- if a particular transmitter is too high or low it causes abnoramlity
- eg depression is caused by low serotonin levels
- eg schizophrenia is caused by high dopamine levels
- mental disorders are explained in terms of an imbalance in the concentraion of neurotransmitters
- genes
- people can inherit a disposition for mental illness through the genes passed from generation to generation
- neuroanatomy
- physical damage to the brain during birth or due to an accident
- eg damage to the hypothalamus is linked to eating disorders
- physical damage to the brain during birth or due to an accident
- Infection
- Microbes such as viruses and bacteria are known to produce physical disease and it has been suggested that they also cause mental illness
- eg anorexia has been linked ot glandular fever
- Microbes such as viruses and bacteria are known to produce physical disease and it has been suggested that they also cause mental illness
- chemical imbalance
- evaluation
- weakness
- reductionist as it reduces abnormality to biological factors and doesn't include other factors, such as; enviromental
- removes control from people and makes patients feel like they have no control over the abnormality
- Strengths
- It has positive implications for treatments, such as drug treatments
- supporting studies
- twin studies
- family studies
- kendler found relatives of schizophrenics were 18 times more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia
- Research into eating disorders supported the role of genes but Holland showed that other factors have an effect
- identical twins share 100% DNA but the concordance rate is 56%
- problem with twin studies is identical twins have similar enviroments meaning the concordance rate would be higher as there would be similar contributing factors
- nonidentical twins share 50% DNA but the concordance rate is 5%
- identical twins share 100% DNA but the concordance rate is 56%
- weakness
- treatments
- Drugs
- Anti-anxiety drugs
- BZ's increase GABA which lowers noradrenalin and serotonin for a calming affect
- Antidepressants
- increase serotonin levels by blocking an enzyme that breaks down serotonin
- MAOIs and SSRIs
- evaluation
- strengths
- effective as BZ;s have been found to be 60% effective and MAOIs to be 65-75%
- they have an almost immediate effect
- weaknesses
- dependency can occur
- treats symptoms rather than causes. Bz's have a 90% relapse rate
- can cause side effects
- MAOIs can cause a cerebral hemorrhage if mixed with tyramine which is found in most foods
- strengths
- Anti-anxiety drugs
- ECT
- evaluation
- strengths
- quick in contrast to drugs or psychological
- effective in treating severe depression and can prevent suicide
- weaknesses
- side effects such as; bone fractures and severe memory loss. in new treatments only memory loss but only 1/3 get it severe
- consent issues as to whether or not a patient is able to agree to the treatment with the right frame of mind
- strengths
- involves a passage of electrical current through the brain by the application between 70v and 130v which induce a a convulsion epileptic seizure
- patients are given a strong muscle relaxer and anesthetic.
- the seizure lasts 2 minutes
- treatment is done 2 to 3 times a week for 4 weeks
- thought that ECT changes neurotransmitters
- evaluation
- Drugs
- Causes
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