Explain how what is known about the brain bases of memory and reward enhance psychopathologists’ understanding of mental illness. How do these neuroscientific insights encourage a dimensional approach to psychopathology, rather than the traditional categorical one?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Ans: Neuroscientists have identified the hippocampus as a brain area critical in the consolidation of new memories. Scientists have also identified the neurotransmitters and biochemical changes involved in memory. These findings may shed light on the underpinnings of conditions as diverse as amnesia, age-related dementia, and delusional thinking. With respect to the reward system, scientists have pointed to the importance of dopamine release in an area called the nucleus accumbens. These brain mechanisms are similar in the rewarding experiences found in everyday life, such as enjoying a celebratory meal with a group of friends, and in more pathological experiences, such as abusing addictive drugs. These examples suggest that, more generally, neuroscience encourages a dimensional approach by suggesting more underlying similarity among disorders traditionally thought quite different and by showing the continuity between normal and disordered experiences.
Learning Objective: 4.4 Discuss diagnostic considerations in approaching psychopathology.
psychological disorders.
Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: Utilizing Neuroscience Methods in Diagnosis and Treatment
Difficulty Level: Hard