Chapter 15: Psychological Disorders

Major Depression 1. A disorder of mood where a person feels depressed for at least two weeks at a time 2. Episodes

Biological Basis for Depression  Genetics  Hormones  Hemispheric dominance  Virus  Life events

Biomedical Treatments for Depression 1. Drug therapy 2. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) or shock therapy 3. Changing sleep patterns

Four Types of Antidepressants 1. Tricyclics 2. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) 3. Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors 4. Atypical antidepressants

Seasonal Affective Disorder  A disorder where people become increasingly depressed as the daylight hours become shorter in the winter 1. All the regular symptoms of depression during the winter months 2. People feel better in the spring and summer 3. Occurs for more than one season in a row 4. Crave carbs/starches

Why/How does SAD Happen?  We’re not sure what causes SAD  It is more common in people living near the poles, where there are dramatic seasonal changes in light  Unlike Depression, people with SAD have phase-delayed sleep disruptions

Treatments for SAD 1. Drug therapy 2. Light Box Therapy  Circadian rhythm trigger  Vitamin D?

Bipolar Disorder 1. This mood disorder is when a person swings between depression and mania 2. The depressed phase is just like major depression 3. The manic phase can be euphoric or irritable

What Causes Bipolar Disorder?  We don’t know.  We do know, like unipolar depression there is a genetic predisposition.

Treatments for Bipolar Disorder  Drug therapy is almost always required 1. Not antidepressants 2. Mood stabilizers

Anxiety Disorders 1. This group of disorders includes those that are characterized by persistent anxious feelings or maladaptive behaviors to reduce that anxiety

Researching Fear and Anxiety 1. Animal research  Elevated-plus maze  Open field 2. Applying brain lesions 3. Manipulating neurotransmitter activity

Treatment for Anxiety Disorders 1. Drug therapy is widely used  Tranquilizers (Benzodiazepines)  Anti-depressant medications

Biological Basis of Schizophrenia 1. What is schizophrenia?  Positive and negative symptoms 2. Brain areas involved  Prefrontal cortex  Overall brain/ventricle size 3. Neurotransmitter involvement  Dopamine hypothesis