Disorders

What is the focus of disorders in psychology?

Understanding conditions where the mind/brain does not function effectively or typically.

What is the goal of studying psychological disorders?

To provide a framework for understanding how disorders arise and vary.

What does "many routes to psychopathology" mean?

There are multiple pathways and causes that can lead to psychological disorders.

How does brain function relate to disorders?

The function of the abnormal brain region determines the nature of the disorder.

Why can disorders affect multiple functions?

Because brain regions are interconnected and lesions can impact multiple areas.

Who is SM in psychology research?

A patient with Urbach-Wiethe disease and bilateral amygdala damage.

What is Urbach-Wiethe disease?

A genetic disorder causing degeneration of the amygdala.

What is the amygdala’s role based on SM?

It is critical for processing fear and discomfort.

What symptoms did SM show?

Inability to recognize fear, lack of fear responses, and unusual comfort in threatening situations.

How did SM behave differently socially?

She was comfortable with close proximity and direct eye contact.

What is developmental prosopagnosia?

A condition where individuals cannot recognize faces despite no brain damage.

How common is developmental prosopagnosia?

It affects about 1–2% of the population.

How does prosopagnosia affect daily life?

It can reduce quality of life and cause social difficulties.

What is heterogeneity in prosopagnosia?

Variation in symptoms and abilities across individuals.

What is an example of someone with prosopagnosia?

Jane Goodall and Brad Pitt.

How do people with prosopagnosia compensate?

They use non-face cues like hair, body, or clothing.

What is the doppelganger test?

A diagnostic test where participants distinguish between a celebrity and a lookalike.

What does the face recognition spectrum show?

A range from prosopagnosia to super-recognizers with no clear cutoff.

What are super-recognizers?

Individuals with exceptional ability to recognize faces.

What are face-selective cortical regions?

Brain areas specialized for processing faces.

How are these regions studied?

Using dynamic localizers with category-specific visual stimuli.

What characterizes schizophrenia?

A disorder involving delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking, and social withdrawal.

When does schizophrenia typically emerge?

Early to mid-20s.

What is the prevalence of schizophrenia?

About 1% of the population.

What causes schizophrenia?

A combination of genetic and environmental factors.

What is synaptic pruning?

The elimination of unused neural connections.

How is synaptic pruning linked to schizophrenia?

Excessive pruning may reduce connectivity and contribute to symptoms.

What is the C4 gene?

A gene involved in immune function and synaptic pruning.

How is the C4 gene related to schizophrenia?

It is overactive in many individuals with schizophrenia.

What does C4 overactivity cause?

Excessive synaptic pruning and disrupted brain connectivity.

Why is schizophrenia considered complex?

It involves multiple brain regions and varied symptoms.

What were outdated theories of schizophrenia?

That it was caused by parenting or environment alone.

What is a cross-cutting disorder?

A disorder that affects multiple brain systems and functions.

Why might developmental prosopagnosia affect multiple areas?

Possibly due to neural migration problems during development.

What are neural migration problems?

When neurons fail to reach correct brain locations during development.

Do people with prosopagnosia have other deficits?

Some have difficulty recognizing objects or navigating environments.

What are co-occurring issues in prosopagnosia?

Navigational difficulties and reduced scene or body recognition.

How can input contribute to disorders?

Environmental experiences can shape perception and behavior negatively.

What did the driving study show?

Video game experience influenced real-world driving anxiety.

How does light affect sleep?

Blue light suppresses melatonin, reducing sleepiness.

What is melanopsin?

A photoreceptor that detects light and regulates alertness.

What is melatonin?

A hormone that promotes sleep.

How does light exposure before bed affect sleep?

It reduces melatonin and disrupts sleep.

What is PTSD?

A disorder resulting from exposure to traumatic events.

What are symptoms of PTSD?

Intrusive memories, anxiety, avoidance, and heightened arousal.

What causes PTSD symptoms?

Hypervigilance and reprogramming of threat detection systems.

How is PTSD treated?

Cognitive therapy and exposure therapy.

What percentage of Vietnam veterans had PTSD?

About 15% in the 1980s.

Why do many PTSD patients not receive treatment?

Barriers to access and recognition of symptoms.

What is dimensionality of symptoms?

The idea that symptoms exist on a spectrum rather than clear categories.

Why is there no clear cutoff for disorders?

Because psychological traits vary continuously across individuals.

Why is each disorder unique?

Due to different combinations of genetic, environmental, and neural factors.

What is the broader takeaway about psychopathology?

Disorders are complex, multi-factorial, and vary widely across individuals.