Approach on therapy

• Localisation of brain functions

  Behaviour influenced by the activity of the brain

  • Certain drugs target specific brain areas to treat mental illness
  • Limbic system - area involved in emotion regulation (any disturbance may affect mood)
  • Certain drugs target neurons in certain areas - improving symptoms localised in that area
• Neurotransmitters

  Behaviour influenced by the activity of chemicals in the brain

  • Drugs work by targeting the action of specific brain chemicals - e.g. increase or decrease levels of certain brain chemicals
  • An imbalance in levels may impact normal functions - e.g. assumed positive symptoms of schizophrenia caused by high levels of dopamine
• Medical Model

  Behaviour/mental illness caused by physiological process

  • The view that mental illness is caused by physiological factors
  • Treatment should be the same as physicals ones - symptoms can be dealt with physiological treatments
  • E.g. - schizophrenia treated through direct manipulation of biological processes