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BIOLOGICAL THEORIES

BIOLOGICAL THEORIES. neurochemistry. NEURONS. NEUROCHEMISTRY. NEURONS (BRAIN CELLS) RELEASE NEUROTRANSMITTERS (CHEMICALS THAT COMMUNICATE BETWEEN NEURONS) INTO SYNAPSES - GAP BETWEEN NEURONS RECEPTORS - ABSORB CHEMICALS. NEUROCHEMISTRY (CONT.). MENTAL ILLNESSES CAN ARISE FROM

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BIOLOGICAL THEORIES

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  1. BIOLOGICAL THEORIES

  2. neurochemistry

  3. NEURONS

  4. NEUROCHEMISTRY • NEURONS (BRAIN CELLS) RELEASE • NEUROTRANSMITTERS (CHEMICALS THAT COMMUNICATE BETWEEN NEURONS) INTO • SYNAPSES - GAP BETWEEN NEURONS • RECEPTORS - ABSORB CHEMICALS

  5. NEUROCHEMISTRY (CONT.) • MENTAL ILLNESSES CAN ARISE FROM • MALFUNCTIONING RECEPTORS • TOO MUCH OR TOO LITTLE OF VARIOUS NEUROTRANSMITTERS

  6. MAJOR NEUROCHEMICALS • SEROTONIN - LOW LEVELS MAY BE RELATED TO DEPRESSION AND MANY OTHER MENTAL ILLNESSES • DOPAMINE - HIGH LEVELS MAY BE RELATED TO SCHIZOPHRENIA • NOREPINEPHRINE - HIGH LEVELS MAY BE RELATED TO ANXIETY

  7. ?s • ARE NEUROCHEMICAL ABNORMALITIES CAUSES OR EFFECTS OF M.I.? • RESULTS OF USING MEDICATION? • NO EVIDENCE YET THAT GENETIC/BIOLOGICAL CAUSES ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN OTHERS

  8. TREATMENT

  9. TREATMENT • BEFORE LOBOTOMY, ECT (SHOCK), COMA - NOW DRUGS • CHANGE NEUROCHEMISTRY OF BRAIN • CHANGE WHAT RECEPTORS ABSORB SO ELEVATE OR LOWER LEVELS OF NEUROTRANSMITTERS IN SYNAPSES

  10. TREATMENTS • ANTI-PSYCHOTICS • PHENOTHIAZINES AND CLOZAPINE FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA • LITHIUM FOR BIPOLAR • MOST ARE ILLNESS SPECIFIC

  11. SSRI’S • SELECTIVE SEROTONIN REUPTAKE INHIBITORS - PROZAC, PAXIL, XOLOFT (LATE 1980’S) • UNLIKE OLDER DRUGS ARE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO PREVENT REUPTAKE OF SEROTONIN • NOT ILLNESS SPECIFIC (NOT “ANTI-DEPRESSANTS”)

  12. HUGE GROWTH • 10% OF ADULT POPULATION NOW TAKING AN SSRI • 3 OF 7 BEST SELLING PRESCRIPTION DRUGS OF ANY KIND ARE SSRI’s • 300% INCREASE IN PAST 10 YEARS IN NUMBER OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS TAKING MEDICATION

  13. ARE SSRI’S BETTER? • NOT MORE EFFECTIVE THAN OLDER DRUGS • FEWER NEGATIVE SIDE EFFECTS (ALTHOUGH POSSIBLY MORE SUICIDE RISK) • NOT ADDICTING • LESS RISK OF OVERDOSE

  14. DOWNSIDE OF SSRI’S • NOT MUCH BETTER THAN PLACEBOS FOR LESS SEVERE CONDITIONS • LONG-TERM EFFECTS? • ONLY ELIMINATE SYMPTOMS, NOT UNDERLYING PROBLEM? • BETTER ALTERNATIVES? • NOT GOOD FOR UNDER AGE 18?

  15. STRENGTHS AND LIMITS

  16. STRENGTHS OF BIOLOGY • BEST FOR PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS • MORE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT BRAIN • ADVANCES IN DRUG TREATMENTS FOR MANY CONDITIONS

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