AoS 3: Student Directed Research Investigation Unit 1 Psychology - Megan Rodrigues RESEARCH QUESTION How is the nature vs nurture debate related to a consideration of the mental disorder, schizophrenia? INTRODUCTION Schizophrenia is categorized by thoughts or experiences that seem abnormal with reality, disorganized speech or behaviour and decreased participation in regular daily activities. Difficulty with memory and concentration are sometimes also present. The two hit hypothesis generally refers to a genetic vulnerability, which is known as the first hit, triggered by something in the environment, which is known as the second hit The first hit is proposed to involve disruption of some sort of brain mechanism that is susceptible to …show more content…
Aim: The aim of this experiment was to explore the synergistic effects of heritability and environment in the cases of two brothers with schizophrenia. Procedure: The procedure was a case study, and the researcher interviewed two brothers, which are both diagnosed with the mental disorder, schizophrenia. While being interviewed, they spoke about their past experiences during their childhood, and how their mother had the carrier gene, which one twin inherited. Conclusions / Results: Conclusions suggest that the nature vs nurture dichotomy may not be as relevant as looking at the interaction between these two forces. It was discovered that while one’s genetic heritage creates a predisposition towards schizophrenia, other factors such as the home environment, the parental environment, dietary factors and others may determine whether the disease is manifested. Source 2: Schizophrenia as a complex trait Sullivan, P.F, Kendler, K.S, & Neale, M.C. (2003) Schizophrenia as a complex trait. Arch Gen Psychiatry, 60, 1187-1192. Aim: To calculate meta-analytic estimates of heritability in liability and shared an individual – specific environmental effects from the pooled twin data. Procedure: To identify all relevant primary studies, computerized PubMed searches for an inclusive list of descriptors were performed and searched the reference lists of prior reviews of schizophrenia to identify any reports not retrieved in the PubMed search. 14 published
Those that are recognized increase the possibility only by extremely small quantities. Consequently, these “genome scans” are improbable to offer a whole image of a person’s danger for acquiring a mental disorder like schizophrenia. Additionally, it possibly endures more than genes to instigate the disorder (Stefansson, Ophoff, Steinberg, Andreassen, Cichon, Rujescu, & Kahn, 2009). Experts reflect communications amongst genes and the environment are essential for schizophrenia to grow. Several environmental issues might be comprised, such as revelation to viruses or malnourishment before birth, difficulties during birth, and other not yet recognized psychosocial issues.
In an attempt to gain a position as a psychologist, I will be discussing schizophrenia and the disorder’s casual factors, associated symptoms, the areas of the brain it affects, and the neural basis of the disorder. I will continue on to discuss appropriate drug therapies. In addition I will also be reviewing two separate case studies, each on a different disorder. I will be examining each problem from the perspective of a bio psychologist. I will define the patient’s diagnosis at length I will relate each case to the nature-nurture theory, and talk about any helpful drug interventions or solutions for each disorder. When talking about drug intervention, it is also important to discuss the positive and
The biological explanation of schizophrenia also claims that the disorder can be inherited. The more common the disorder is among the biological relatives and the closer the degree of genetic relatedness increases the risk of the child developing schizophrenia. Gottesman’s research (1991) found a genetic link with schizophrenia when looking at children and their relatives. The research discovered that children with two schizophrenic parents have a concordance rate of 46% compared to children who just have one schizophrenic parent to children who have a concordance rate of 13% and siblings just 9%. The genetic theory of schizophrenia also suggests that monozygotic twins (twins who a genetically identical) should have a higher concordance rate of schizophrenia than dizygotic twins (twins who are not genetically identical) because they have a closer degree of genetic relatedness.
A number of factors have been linked to schizophrenia:genetics, psychological vulnerability, and poor environmental surroundings. The understanding the of this mental illness is called
Biological theorists believe that individuals may have a genetic predisposition for the schizophrenia if a close family member has been diagnosed with the disorder. Stress during adolescent years seems to provoke the disorder among individuals who have a family history of the disorder. In addition, this theory suggests biochemical abnormalities related to the dopamine neurotransmitters may also contribute to the illness as the brains neurotransmission of the dopamine is too frequent in occurrence (Comer, 2005). CAT and MRI scans have also indicated that abnormal brain structuring may also play a role in the development of schizophrenia due to a common occurrence of enlarged ventricles within schizophrenia sufferers (Comer, 2005). Various parts of the brain may not develop for function properly which seems lead to Type II schizophrenia. Studies have also pointed towards the idea that exposure to certain viruses before birth may lead to the eventual development of schizophrenia (Comer, 2005).
Genetics play a role in the development of schizophrenia. When looking closer at the brain chemistry between a person with schizophrenia and a person with out schizophrenia there are
For my Researched argument my proposed topic is “To what extent is the development of schizophrenia in affected children nature-based rather than nurture-based?” My hypothesis is that in children under the age of 13 who develop schizophrenia, the defining factor of childhood-onset schizophrenia, the development will more nature-based than nurture-based. This hypothesis is because nurture-based factors do not usually have enough time to affect the onset of a severe mental illness like schizophrenia prior to the age of 13. While there are brutally abused children who develop the childhood-onset schizophrenia, not all brutally abused children become schizophrenic nor were all schizophrenics horridly mistreated.
Researchers favouring the biological explanation look at genetic factors, brain structure and biochemical explanations. Many researchers would suggest that the debate over whether schizophrenia is passed down through genetics is no longer a
Schizophrenia can be passed down thru generations even though there is not a specific gene associated with the disorder. It is considered to be a combination of genes that make a person susceptible to becoming schizophrenic. This information is found mainly thought the study of twins. By having the same genes it can be viewed why genes contribute to the potential of schizophrenia. Even though genetics is a viable factor in the analysis of the cause of schizophrenia there are more supporting factors found in neurotransmitters.
Schizophrenia is one of the most complex mental disorders scientist have vaguely touched down on and has many more years of exploration before anyone truly understands it. Nature Vs Nurture is two separate notions on how and why people become the person they are in life. With schizophrenia, it’s not only caused by one notion but it’s a contribution of two variables; genetics and environment. Schizophrenia has amazed scientist since the early 20th century and only now psychologist have started to really believe that some mental diseases are causation of one than one variant. In the critical essay you’re about to read it literates why people are starting
2. A strong family history of mental disorders is considered as a highly probable cause of schizophrenia, while those who are much less genetically vulnerable are believed to catch the disorder through environment stressors during their lives.
Schizophrenia can be explained biologically through genetic explanations and through neural explanations. Genetic explanations establish that schizophrenia is more common in biological relatives of a person with schizophrenia than a person without. Gotesman (1991) conducted a family study and found that children with 2 biologically schizophrenic parents had a 46% concordance rate with the child becoming schizophrenic, a 13% concordance rate if the children had 1 schizophrenic biological parent and a 9% concordance rate if siblings had schizophrenia. This shows that individuals more closely related to the person with schizophrenia has a higher risk of developing schizophrenia therefore showing the influence of genes the disorder. Although a problem with family studies on schizophrenia are that they lack population validity; small samples have to be used as larger samples with schizophrenic parents are hard to find and therefore results can’t be extrapolated to the general public. In addition, in Gotesman’s study, the concordance rates for children with 2 schizophrenic parents are below 50%, it suggests that there’s no direct genetic link to the disorder suggesting nurture may hold more influence in development.
This essay will discuss whether schizophrenia is genetically inherited disorder. There will be an understanding to what schizophrenia is with a brief description in the introduction. This essay will also talk about weather schizophrenia is genetically inherited or weather it is a biological (Inherited) disorder. It will also include weather schizophrenia is cause by other factors such as social factors, environmental, pre natal, childhood and neurobiology. The essay will also state weather schizophrenia is caused by a combination of the two.
Instead, schizophrenia genetics leave some people susceptible to the illness, which is triggered by environmental factors.
Schizophrenia is a universal mental illness which is both complex and devastating. Schizophrenia generally begins in the early stages of life and may lead to lifelong disabilities (Moritz, 2010). The context of this paper shall include an introduction on schizophrenia as well as the reasoning this discipline was chosen. It will include a critiqued research study that will explain how the research was presented. The primary focus on the research study will be a literature review, the methods used, the results found, and a presented discussion.