Analyzing Biopsychological Disorders

Biopsychology: The application of principles of biology toward the study of psychology. Also known as biological psychology, behavioral neuroscience, or psychobiology

All antidepressants work in a similar way, though there are various types of antidepressants—often called “families”—that each work a bit differently. They all, however, increase the brain’s concentration of various neurotransmitters. Antidepressants are psychiatric medications given to patients with depressive disorders to alleviate symptoms. They correct chemical imbalances of neurotransmitters in the brain which probably cause changes in mood and behavior. Antidepressants may be used for a wide range of psychiatric conditions, including social anxiety disorder, anxiety disorders. Antidepressants were initially developed in the 1950s. Their use has become progressively more common over the last twenty years. Generally speaking, anti­psychotic

Biopsyhosocial can be defined as, “of, relating to, or involving the interaction of biological, psychological, and social factors...” (English Oxford Living Dictionaries, 2017). Biological factors are the inherited characteristics from our parents, and their genetic materials and processes, as well as aspects of a person’s psychological functioning (Caltabiano, Sarafino, & Byrne, 2008). Examples of biological factors include inherited illnesses, genetic make-up, and health and wellness practices learnt from childhood. Caltabiano, Sarafino, and Byrne (2008) explain that psychological factors are both behavioural and mental process, which involve cognition, emotion, and motivation. These psychological factors could include and impact attention, memory, reasoning, personal growth, and emotional well being. Lastly, social factors are the affects we have on others and they have on us, as well as how our society and community as a whole impacts individuals by promoting certain

In an attempt to gain a position as a psychologist, I will be discussing schizophrenia and the disorder’s casual factors, associated symptoms, the areas of the brain it affects, and the neural basis of the disorder. I will continue on to discuss appropriate drug therapies. In addition I will also be reviewing two separate case studies, each on a different disorder. I will be examining each problem from the perspective of a bio psychologist. I will define the patient’s diagnosis at length I will relate each case to the nature-nurture theory, and talk about any helpful drug interventions or solutions for each disorder. When talking about drug intervention, it is also important to discuss the positive and

A person lacking serotonin may often feel fearful and anxious. Physicians believe that each anxiety disorder is unique and treatable. If the medication is warranted, many patients do well with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. “This feeling may be triggered by the anticipation of danger, either from thought (internal) or from one's environment (external)” (Doctor). More specifically, “[i]mportant biological contributors to anxiety include genetics, brain chemistry, and the body's fight-or-flight response” (Thompson).

Biological psychology, of biopsychology, is the application of the principles of biology to the study of mental processes in terms of bodily mechanisms. The view that psychological processes have biological (or physiological) correlates, is the basic assumption of the whole field of biological psychology. Biological psychology is a hopeful domain, one that has much to offer in terms of improving the quality of life of the healthy as well as those suffering from disorders. It also contributed important therapeutic data on a variety of conditions, including: Parkinson 's Disease, Alzheimer 's Disease, Clinical depression, Schizophrenia and a lot others. Humans have very complex nervous system, they use neurons and neurotransmitters to make the highest active communication network throughout the body. “most of the body’s neurons are found in the central nervous system(CNS), which consists of the brain and spinal cord” (psychology 5th edition). “Neuroscience emphasizes that the brain and nervous system are central to understanding behavior, thought, and emotion. (Van Horn, 2014; Zhao & others, 2014). Therefore, for biological psychologist all that is psychological is first physiological. All thoughts, feeling & behavior ultimately have a biological cause.” We are benefited from biological approach for diagnosing and treating human brains Ex. Schizophrenia. Scientists are also able to create medications for different types of illnesses. Besides having psychologists

There are still several options for treatment that you must choose from, as well as having to deal with side effects that accompany each treatment. Of all the treatments, antidepressants tend to have the most side effects. Some of the side effects common to all three types of antidepressants are: anxiety, vomiting, confusion, chest pain, blurred vision, irritability, insomnia, sexual dysfunction, weight gain, headache, and nervousness (Cheung et al. 2003, Vanderkooy et al. 2002). Some other, more severe, side effects are difficulty urinating, decreased appetite, heart complications, and suicide (Simon and Stern 2003 - Review). It is the last side effect, suicide, which has recently caused some controversy within the medical field. With recent research showing a correlation between antidepressants and suicide, as well as the FDA ordering warning labels for suicide on antidepressant medication, physicians have to be careful prescribing the drugs, especially to children and adolescents.

Some of the most common antidepressants include Prozac, Celexa, Zoloft, Paxil, Remeron and Effexor, these come capsules or tablets, studies show that the effects of these drugs can include: Nervousness and anxiety, Insomnia, Irritability, Violent thoughts and actions, Agitation, Hostility, Suicidal thoughts or suicide, Tremors, Irregular heartbeat, Aggression, Confusion and incoherent thoughts, Paranoia, Hallucinations, Psychosis,

Generalized Anxiety Disorder first became an individual disorder in 1980. Woodman stated in her article, “The American Psychiatric Association separated anxiety neurosis into (1) panic disorder, characterized by spontaneous episodes of intense anxiety, and (2) Generalized Anxiety Disorder, a residual category for patients who have chronic, sustained anxiety without panic attacks” (Woodman, 1997). The separation of the two disorders was made at the time because of the responses people had with different medications. According to Woodman, Generalized Anxiety Disorder was finally given an independent status and a set of defined criteria of symptoms in DSM-11-R, with the main symptom of Generalized Anxiety Disorder being excessive worry. It is now known that it is differentiated by more than just different reactions to medicines, but with more systematical studies done, the symptom checklist has been edited to best discriminate between normal and pathological anxiety (Woodman, 1997).

H., Lowenthal, A., Korner, M., Ritov, Y., Landers, D. M., Rankinen, T., … Kornberg, R. D.. (2004). They investigated variation of the acetylcholinesterase-paraoxonase 1 (ACHE-PON1) genes in the formation of anxiety. They examined “461 individuals (198 men and 263 women) from 150 two-generation families of African-American (172) or Caucasian origin (289)” and analyzed participants’ blood samples and prepared genomic DNA (Sklan 2004, p 5513). Sklan looked at various polymorphisms in the genes, primarily the expected serum AChE, BChE, and PON activities in relation to both trait anxiety (a general anxiety) and state anxiety (a situational anxiety). Their results indicated that “polymorphisms in the ACHE-PON1 locus appeared to be significant, albeit ethnic origin-dependent predictors of trait-anxiety” (Sklan, 2004 p. 5515). Furthermore, Sklan argues that serum enzyme activity could be used to predict scores on anxiety tests. Similar to the previous study, Sklan only demonstrates correlational relationships but demonstrates strong evidence for a biologically based origin of anxiety. It bolsters the argument that anxiety disorders can be inherited and the idea that treatments for anxiety that target biological systems could be more successful. Alternatively, the study could suggest that anxiety is a fixed from genetics and treatments could not solve the

Neuropsychology is another field in which both psychology and biology play a major role. Neuropsychology studies the structure and function of the brain as it relates to specific psychological processes and behaviors. It is a clinical and experimental field of psychology that aims to study, assess, understand and treat behaviors directly related to brain functioning. Neuropsychology studies and applies research to the functions and the dysfunctions of the brain and how they affect the body as well as the personality. This has helped us to not only define mental disorders and cognitive impairments, but to develop different treatment

Anxiety Disorders are characterized by many symptoms and often associated with depressive tendencies. Although the majority are produced in a person based off of their genetic material, other influences exist environmentally that can encourage or discourage the severity of the symptoms and prognosis it has on one’s overall well-being. Early diagnosis and a systematic combination of treatments can help reduce the tensions and encourage a more normal life than what was previously experienced by the person with the disorder.

It also further supports the fact that serotonin levels may not be correlated with anxiety. After all, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors start working biologically in minutes, but don’t affect how the individual feels for weeks. Perhaps there is some other third variable causing anxiety disorders and has nothing to do with serotonin or other

Everyone with any mental health disorder always wonders if linkage of genetics is part of the disorder they have. People have said that risk of genetics being a factor in anxiety disorders is less likely to be a switch more than a problematic mix of genetics that can put a person at risk. Researchers have said that anxiety disorders can be due to hostile childhood experiences. Efforts to identify the specific DNA mutations to the heritability of anxiety disorders establish any independent, suspicious loci, but any genetic study for anxiety faces some obstacles also. The fine line between healthy and pathological anxiety is unclear, and the phenotypic and genetic barriers between scientific anxiety disorders

Normally side effects are mild; with more impairing side effects being less frequent. According to the same pamphlet, the most common side effects are “constipation, daytime sleepiness, diarrhea, dizziness, dry mouth, headache, nausea, sexual problems, shakiness, trouble sleeping, and weight gain.” Also mentioned elsewhere are “Serotonin syndrome” which can include “confusion, hallucinations, loss of coordination, fever, rapid heart rate, and vomiting” and that the medication can worsen your depression and can increase the risk of suicide or self-mutilation. Having any of these would be very intrusive upon a person’s normal functioning. Antidepressants also usually take “at least 6 full weeks to begin to get the full effect” (United States) of their depression lessening. This long lag time between when treatment begins and when depression alleviation starts is another concern, as alternative methods can begin working right away and if you need to switch antidepressants, it takes another 6 weeks for the next one to work. The long treatment time is another drawback of using antidepressants as “most people need to keep taking these medicines for 6 to 9 months,” (United States) yet later in the same pamphlet it is stated that not much is known about the long term use of antidepressants because the “research studies generally only