PSYCH 476 CHILD PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
BIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES100% CORRECT
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Biological perspectives
Neurobiological perspective: brain/nervous system functions underlie causes
of psychological disorders
Neuronal growth and differentiation
Neural Plasticity
Malleability or use-dependent anatomical differentiation, throughout course
of development
Transaction occurring between ongoing brain development and
environmental experiences
prenatal environment
childhood illness and diet
early caregiving
Brain maturation is an organized, hierachical process – brain restructures
and grows throughout life span
Primitive areas, which govern basic sensory and motor skills mature
during first 3 years
Perceptual and instinctive centers (e.g. limbic system) are strongly
affected by early childhood experiences
Prefrontal cortex and cerebellum required between 5-7 yrs
Puberty leads to major restructuring in adolescence
Genetics
Each person’s unique genome (~20,000 to 25,000 genes) is
established at conception
Influences are expressed throughout the life span (i.e influence how
we respond to the environment)
, PSYCH 476 CHILD PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
BIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES100% CORRECT
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Rarely is one gene the single cause of a disorder
Gene---------------Environments
VVV VVV
Psychological Disorder
Structure and Function
, PSYCH 476 CHILD PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
BIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES100% CORRECT
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Thalamus = (center of brain) relay center/hub receiving info from the
sensory organs and then process info
Hypothalamus = regulates thirst, hunger, sex drive, aggression. (combined,
these two [thalamus & hypothalamus] are critical to behavior and motion)
Amygdala = regulates emotional responses (particularly fear); has a strong
link to anxiety disorders.
Hippocampus = learning, memory, and ability to compare sensory info to
expectations.
Cingulate cortex = primary cortical component of the limbic system, involved
in emotional and cognitive processing)
Basal Ganglia = cognition, emotion, mood, motor function. (implications in
ADHD, OCD and tick disorders)
Cerebral cortex = (left) = verbal (language) and cognitive processes.
(Right) social perception and creativity
Frontal Lobes = (Left) Thinking, reasoning, emotion regulation, self control.
Endocrine system = linked to anxiety and mood disorders
Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis
Stress response system
Neurotransmitters
Make biochemical connections between different parts of brain
Neurotransmitters most commonly implicated in psychopathology include:
serotonin, benzodiazepine-GABA, norepinephrine, and dopamine.
, PSYCH 476 CHILD PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
BIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES100% CORRECT
DOWNLOAD TO SCORE A RATED A+
Psychological Perspectives
Emotion
Primary form of communication for young children
Natural tendency to attend to emotional cues
BIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES100% CORRECT
DOWNLOAD TO SCORE A RATED A+
Biological perspectives
Neurobiological perspective: brain/nervous system functions underlie causes
of psychological disorders
Neuronal growth and differentiation
Neural Plasticity
Malleability or use-dependent anatomical differentiation, throughout course
of development
Transaction occurring between ongoing brain development and
environmental experiences
prenatal environment
childhood illness and diet
early caregiving
Brain maturation is an organized, hierachical process – brain restructures
and grows throughout life span
Primitive areas, which govern basic sensory and motor skills mature
during first 3 years
Perceptual and instinctive centers (e.g. limbic system) are strongly
affected by early childhood experiences
Prefrontal cortex and cerebellum required between 5-7 yrs
Puberty leads to major restructuring in adolescence
Genetics
Each person’s unique genome (~20,000 to 25,000 genes) is
established at conception
Influences are expressed throughout the life span (i.e influence how
we respond to the environment)
, PSYCH 476 CHILD PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
BIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES100% CORRECT
DOWNLOAD TO SCORE A RATED A+
Rarely is one gene the single cause of a disorder
Gene---------------Environments
VVV VVV
Psychological Disorder
Structure and Function
, PSYCH 476 CHILD PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
BIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES100% CORRECT
DOWNLOAD TO SCORE A RATED A+
Thalamus = (center of brain) relay center/hub receiving info from the
sensory organs and then process info
Hypothalamus = regulates thirst, hunger, sex drive, aggression. (combined,
these two [thalamus & hypothalamus] are critical to behavior and motion)
Amygdala = regulates emotional responses (particularly fear); has a strong
link to anxiety disorders.
Hippocampus = learning, memory, and ability to compare sensory info to
expectations.
Cingulate cortex = primary cortical component of the limbic system, involved
in emotional and cognitive processing)
Basal Ganglia = cognition, emotion, mood, motor function. (implications in
ADHD, OCD and tick disorders)
Cerebral cortex = (left) = verbal (language) and cognitive processes.
(Right) social perception and creativity
Frontal Lobes = (Left) Thinking, reasoning, emotion regulation, self control.
Endocrine system = linked to anxiety and mood disorders
Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis
Stress response system
Neurotransmitters
Make biochemical connections between different parts of brain
Neurotransmitters most commonly implicated in psychopathology include:
serotonin, benzodiazepine-GABA, norepinephrine, and dopamine.
, PSYCH 476 CHILD PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
BIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES100% CORRECT
DOWNLOAD TO SCORE A RATED A+
Psychological Perspectives
Emotion
Primary form of communication for young children
Natural tendency to attend to emotional cues
