Biochemicals: Neurotransmitters and Hormones

Biochemicals play a crucial role in the biological approach to understanding behavior and mental health. This category includes neurotransmitters and hormones.

Neurotransmitters:

• Carry signals to the brain through the nervous system
• Work faster than hormones
• Imbalances can impact behavior, emotions, and cause mental illnesses

Example: Serotonin carries relaxed messages to the brain and has a calming effect. Too little serotonin can contribute to depression.

Example: Dopamine carries fast messages to the brain. Too much dopamine has been linked to schizophrenia, while too little can cause concentration issues, poor memory, and slow movements or speech.

Hormones:

• Carry messages through the bloodstream
• Work slower than neurotransmitters

Highlight: Understanding the role of biochemicals is crucial in biological approach psychology evaluation and informs many treatments for mental health disorders.

Genetics in the Biological Approach

The biological approach emphasizes the role of genetics in shaping behavior and predisposing individuals to certain mental health conditions. Researchers in this field aim to identify specific genes associated with particular mental illnesses.

Example: Children of individuals who struggle with addiction are more likely to develop addiction themselves, suggesting a genetic component to addictive behaviors.

Twin studies are a key research method in genetic studies:

• Monozygotic twins: Identical twins from a single egg
• Dizygotic twins: Non-identical twins from two separate eggs

These studies aim to find the concordance rate, which indicates whether both twins have the same mental illnesses.

Highlight: Genetic research is fundamental to understanding biological factors affecting human behavior and forms a significant part of biological approach psychology studies.

Infections and Mental Health

The biological approach also considers the role of infections in mental health outcomes. Certain infections have been linked to the development of mental illnesses.

Example: Before the advent of antibiotics, syphilis was known to cause psychosis in some individuals.

Example: Pregnant women who contract the flu have a higher likelihood of their children developing schizophrenia later in life.

This aspect of the biological approach highlights the complex interplay between environmental factors (infections) and biological outcomes (mental health conditions).

Highlight: Understanding the link between infections and mental health is crucial for comprehending the full spectrum of biological factors that influence human behaviour.

Biological Treatments: ECT and Surgery

In addition to drug treatments, the biological approach also informs other interventions for severe mental health conditions.

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT):

• Involves placing electrodes on either side of the patient's forehead
• An electrical current is passed through the brain, altering neurotransmitter levels
• Evaluation: While effective for some conditions, it can be unpleasant for the patient and time-consuming

Surgery:

• Involves procedures on the frontal lobe of the brain to address abnormalities
• Used in severe cases where other treatments have been ineffective

Highlight: These more invasive treatments demonstrate the range of interventions informed by the biological approach to mental health.