Article Abstract:
Brain imaging techniques have allowed psychiatrists to determine the biochemical abnormalities underlying many mental illnesses. Positron emission tomography (PET) scans have revealed activation of several areas of the brain, including the limbic system, during schizophrenic hallucinations. PET scans have also shown that schizophrenic patients have an abnormal response to dopamine under certain conditions. A possible genetic basis for some mental illnesses has been discovered. Chromosome 6 has been linked to schizophrenia and chromosome 18 to manic depressive disorder. The genes and their respective proteins have yet to be determined. In 1995 a protein named leptin was discovered that appears to be involved in the maintenance of body weight. And animal studies revealed that low levels of nitric oxide in the brain may be linked to aggression. Managed care has had a substantial impact on the treatment of mental illness because it limits mental health benefits.
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Article Abstract:
The incidence of mental disorders may be higher than estimated. Many people have three or more psychiatric disorders occurring at the same time, which makes them difficult to diagnose and treat. There is a higher incidence of mental diseases in people with HIV-1 than those uninfected. Complex mental disorders may be traced to several defective genes, and identifying genes associated with psychiatric disorders is complicated. The tryptophan hydroxylase gene is linked to suicidal tendencies. A gene linked to susceptibility for manic-depressive illness has been identified. The current thinking is that mental illness results from the mix of genetic and environmental factors. Drugs to treat depression include sertraline, paroxetine, citalopram, fluvoxamine and venlafaxine. New drugs for anxiety and schizophrenia, the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, and health care reform are also discussed.
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Article Abstract:
Research in psychiatry has discovered a gene mutation that may be involved in anxiety. Animal studies have shown that experience and learning can cause physical changes in nerve cells. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter involved in drug craving and dependence. Drugs that block dopamine receptors may be effective in treating drug addiction. Depression can increase the risk of a heart attack and also can increase mortality rates. Acamprosate was approved for the treatment of alcoholism and olanzapine was approved for the treatment of schizophrenia.
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