Biological Explanations of Unipolar Depression - Neurotransmitters

Created by: abbieaitken
Created on: 07-04-18 20:07

Chemical imbalance of the monamine neurotransmitter specifically lack of serotonin.

The monoamine hypothesis

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Group of neurotransmitters that contain amino acids. Important for emotion and cognition. Includes the neurotransmiters serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine.

Monoamines

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An enzume that removes monoamines from the synapse. If there are too many MAO-A in the synapse it will remove needed monoamines. This is the basis of antidepressant drugs.

Monoamine Oxidase A (MAO-A)

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Found that one third of people using SSRI were in complete remission from depression

Trivedi et al

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Looked at the effectiveness of drug treatment for depression. People who took antidepressants had a relapse rate of 18% compared to 41% in the placebo group.

Geddes et al

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Just because a drug is effective in treating a disorder doesn't mean it is the cause of the disorder. It rests on assumption. Serotonin may have a biological correlate to depression but we can't establish cause and effect using a correlation.

The Treatment Aetiology Fallacy

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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Group of neurotransmitters that contain amino acids. Important for emotion and cognition. Includes the neurotransmiters serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine.

Back

Monoamines

Card 3

Front

An enzume that removes monoamines from the synapse. If there are too many MAO-A in the synapse it will remove needed monoamines. This is the basis of antidepressant drugs.

Back

Card 4

Front

Found that one third of people using SSRI were in complete remission from depression

Back

Card 5

Front

Looked at the effectiveness of drug treatment for depression. People who took antidepressants had a relapse rate of 18% compared to 41% in the placebo group.

Back

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Biological Explanations of Unipolar Depression - Neurotransmitters