Explain the role that biology plays in the development of mood disorders, including one's genetic vulnerability and the effects of different levels of brain chemicals and transmitter substances; discuss the psychoanalytic, behavioral, and cognitive e

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Answer will include that because the mood disorders often appear to be endogenous, or produced from within, some scientists are focusing on the biology of mood
changes. Heredity is involved with the more severe (major) mood disorders, especially the bipolar disorders. As a case in point, if one identical twin is depressed, the other has a 67 percent chance of suffering depression, too. For fraternal twins the probability is 19 percent. This difference may be related to the finding that people who have a particular version of a gene are more likely to become depressed when they are stressed. Researchers are also interested in brain chemicals and transmitter substances, especially serotonin, noradrenaline, and dopamine levels. The findings are incomplete, but progress has been made. For example, the chemical lithium carbonate can be effective for treating some cases of bipolar disorders. Regarding the psychological explanations for mood disorders, the psychoanalytic theory holds that depression is caused by repressed anger. This rage is displaced and turned inward as self-blame and self- hate. Behavioral theories of depression emphasize learned helplessness, while cognitive psychologists believe that self-criticism and negative, distorted, or self-defeating thoughts underlie many cases of depression. Life stresses appear to be the trigger for many mood disorders. This is especially true for people who have personality traits and thinking patterns that make them vulnerable to depression. Although psychological causes are important in many cases of depression, the biological factors seem to play a larger role with the major mood disorders.