Biological approach to psychopathology

What is the biological approach to psychopathology?

-What are the basic principles of this approach?

The biological (medical) model suggests that all mental disorders are related to a change in the body. Mental disorders are like physical disorders (illnesses). These illnesses could be caused by genes, biochemistry, neuroanatomy or viral infection.

Abnormalities are sometimes a result of genetic inheritance, so passed from parent to child. One way of investigating this is by studying twins. Identical twins can be compared to see whether, when one twin has a disorder, the other has one as well.

Genes tell the body how to function. For example they determine the levels of hormones and neurotransmitters in the brain. High levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin are linked with anxiety, low levels…