Biological Components of Mental Illness Essay Example

Biological Components of Mental Illness Essay Example Biological Components of Mental Illness Paper Biological Components of Mental Illness Paper Mental illness is a term used to describe many different disorders of the mind. Of all the factors that may cause or contribute to mental illness, the biological components are among the most accepted. It is the basis of much of the treatments used to combat and treat mental illness. This does not mean all mental illness can be explained by biological means but a vast majority can be traced to some type of biological component. Contrary to what many people believe, alcohol and drugs do not cause someone to be biologically vulnerable to mental illness. Drugs and alcohol can, however, trigger or exacerbate the symptoms in someone who already is biologically predisposed. There are many different biological components to mental illness: Genetics-susceptibility to mental illness is passed though the genes. Infections or Toxins- syphilis and lead have both been proven to damage the brain. Brain defects or injury- These can be at birth or through accident and are on certain parts of the brain. Prenatal damage-such as lack of oxygen or distruption of brain development while in the womb. Poor nutrition and neglect during the formative years can also have an effect on the brain’s development or manner of processing information. Outside events can sometimes cause changes in the brain to cause someone to be biologically vulnerable to mental illness. Trauma such as abuse or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), can cause changes in the brain, as well. It may be in the way the brain develops or the way it processes information, but these changes can lead to mental illness in many people. In the nineteenth century, as progress was made in understanding medical disorders in terms of physical pathology, abnormal behaviour was viewed as reflecting brain pathology. A key discovery was the identification in 1913 of the microorganism Treponema pallidum as the cause of syphilis (and thus general paresis of the insane), supporting the theory of biological causes of mental illness.   (Freeman, 1999, p. 173) Certain infections have been linked to brain damage and the development of mental illness or the worsening of its symptoms. For example, a condition known as pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder (PANDA) associated with the Streptococcus bacteria has been linked to the development of obsessive-compulsive disorder and other mental illnesses in children. Genetic factor studies have indicated trophic factors are proteins that stimulate growth, activity, and survival. Neurotrophic factors, such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), were first noted for their ability to promote growth and survival in neurons during early development. However, neurotrophic factors are now known to play an active role in the adult brain, and to have an effect on a variety of more subtle cellular functions aside from cell survival. BDNF itself is now assumed to be involved in a variety of brain functions, including memory formation and affective state. (Fisher Greenberg, 1989, p. 45)