Medical model

• What is the biochemical explanation?

  It focuses on our brain and whether neurotransmitters are working effectively.

  However, it can be more holistic through the Diathesis stress model which states that there is an internal switch triggered by the environment which leads to biological innate reactions
• What is an example of the biochemical explanation?

  1. Monoamine hypothesis of depression:

  • The neurotransmitters noradrenaline and dopamine appear to be involved in depression- low levels of activity will lead to depressive symptoms

  2. Dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia

  • High levels of dopamine in parts of the brain which are responsible for speech may be the cause of auditory hallucinations
• What is the brain structure explanation?

  Focuses on certain structures in the brain which may be larger or smaller than in the normal population as a cause of mental health (less/more activity)
• What is an example of the brain structure explanation?

  Coffey et al compared the size of the frontal loves in depressed and non-depressed people. It was found that the mean volume was lower in depressed patients
• What is the genetic explanation?

  This focuses on the percentage concordance of a particular disorder among family members with different levels of genetic similarity (eg twins or just blood relatives)
• What is an example of the genetic explanation?

  Twin studies:

  • If the behavioural concordance for a disorder is higher in monozygotic twins than in dizygotic twins then the disorder must be due to genetics
• What is a biological treatment: Part 1?

  Anti-depressants: (drug treatment)

  • eg. Monoamine oxidase inhibitions or SSRI. These prevent the breakdown of serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine

  ADV: immediate effect

  DADV: Bad side effects (eg. for schizophrenia there are chronic side effects such as tardive dyskinesia, or for some anti-depressants the side effects of suicidal thoughts etc. relate to the condition)
• What is a biological treatment: Part 2?

  Electro-convulsive therapy:

  • where small electric currents are passed through the brain, intentionally triggering a brief seizure which causes changes in brain chemistry

  ADV: Quick effects- reverses symptoms very quickly

  DADV: Historically controversial- was administered without consent and much stronger shocks

  DADV: Distressing side effects such as temporary memory loss