Biological Explanation of Unipolar Depression Free Essays.

Many people think depression is not important and not a real-life genuine health problem, according to official statistics, Depression is one of the major components of suicide, it is “estimated that 6,213 suicides took place in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland in 2017.” (Ian Macrory, 2016) Many individuals agree that depression is not a sign of being vulnerable or fragile.

A biological explanation for depression is the monoamine hypothesis. Monoamines are a group of neurotransmitters that regulate mood; they include serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine.

The biological aspect of depression is very closely related to the genetic one, since an individual’s genes will influence the biological working of his or her body. Scientists believe that depression may also be caused by an imbalance in the important neurotransmitters of the brain.

One biological explanation for unipolar depression is the monoamine hypothesis. The monoamines are a group of neurotransmitters which include serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine. You will recognise the latter, dopamine, from the biological offering of an explanation for schizophrenia. The monoamines are believed to regulate mood.

Depression and Treatments. Depression is not only one of themost widespread and prevalent of the major psychiatric disorders but also oneof the most excessively researched mental illnesses. It has oftenfundamentally affects people’s well-being and quality of life.

Describe and evaluate biological explanations of depression There are many different explanations for depression, including biological. Links have been found between biochemical, genetics and hormonal imbalances with depressed people. In the biochemical explanation, a link has been found between neurotransmitter imbalances and depression.

The biomedical model largely assumes that neurotransmitter imbalances cause mental disorders. The 1950s saw a rise in the development of psychopharmacological treatments for depression and other mental illnesses. This led to theories about chemical imbalances providing an explanation for symptoms (Schildkraut, 1965). These theories of causation.

You may have heard that depression is the result of a simple imbalance of brain chemicals. Although brain chemicals are certainly part of the cause, this explanation is too simple. Even just considering the biological dimension of depression, the brain has multiple layers of issues that are involved. Neurochemistry. Neurotransmitters.

The Unit 2 Exam expects you to know about one non-biological explanation of a disorder other than schizophrenia; in this case, unipolar depression. You are also expected to understand a psychological treatment for depression which is linked to these explanations.

This theory states that no one cause for depression is responsible, but rather interrelationships of the biological, psychological and social roots are all simultaneously responsible. Although the causes of depression can be viewed from just a biological, psychological or sociological perspective, it is best approached from the biopsychosocial perspective.

Depression can affect anyone at any age (though it does seem to be more prominent in females.) (Stewart, 2010) The psychological causes of depression are very vast, however three theories on how depression comes about will be explored in this essay. These theories include the cognitive -behavioural model and the behavioural.