Current Approaches in Psychological Disorders: Lecture 4 part 1

Lecture 4

Psychopathology

The scientific study of mental disorders, including their causes, symptoms, and treatment.

Neuroscience

The interdisciplinary study of the nervous system, particularly the brain and its relation to behavior.

Biological Perspectives

The approach in psychology that focuses on the biological factors influencing mental disorders.

Concordance Rates

The probability that two individuals will both have a certain characteristic, often used in twin studies to understand genetic influences on behavior.

Behavioral Genetics

A field of study that examines the role of genetic and environmental influences on behavior.

Gene-Environment Interaction

The interplay between genetic predispositions and environmental factors that affect behavior or disorder development.

Epigenetics

The study of how environmental factors can influence gene expression without altering the underlying DNA sequence.

Heritability

The proportion of variation in a trait in a population that is attributed to genetic differences among individuals.

Phenotype

The observable characteristics or traits of an individual that result from the interaction of their genotype and environment.

Neurotransmitters

Chemicals that transmit signals across a synapse from one neuron to another.

Synapse

The small gap between the terminal endings of a sending neuron and the receiving neuron where neurotransmitters are released.

Excitatory Message

A signal that increases the likelihood that the postsynaptic neuron will fire an action potential.

Inhibitory Message

A signal that decreases the likelihood that the postsynaptic neuron will fire an action potential.

Dopamine

A neurotransmitter associated with reward pathways, mood regulation, and implicated in disorders like schizophrenia.

Serotonin

A neurotransmitter important for regulating mood, emotion, and implicated in disorders such as anxiety and depression.

Biochemical Models

Approaches that focus on the role of biochemical processes in the development of psychological disorders.

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

A treatment for severe depression that involves passing an electric current through the brain to induce a seizure.

Reuptake

The process by which neurotransmitters are reabsorbed by the presynaptic neuron after transmitting a signal.

Structural Connectivity

The physical connections between different brain regions as evidenced by the pathways of white matter.

Functional Connectivity

The patterns of correlated BOLD signals between different brain regions when measured by fMRI.

Polygenic Disorders

Disorders that are influenced by multiple genes rather than a single gene mutation.