Brain scans can be used to help diagnose some disorders. Furthermore, the genes we are born with, from our parents, provide the blueprint for our bodies and brains. A slight abnormality in our genes can affect the functioning of our brains. Also to operate properly the brain relies on hundreds of chemicals to operate in the correct balance, these chemicals are used to send messages around the brain. Therefore if there are chemical imbalances abnormality may occur, for example low levels of serotonin are linked to depression and schizophrenia is linked with high levels of dopamine.
Also common with maternal smoking is Sudden Infant Death Syndrom (SIDS). This is when infants under the age of 6 months stop breathing and die for no apparent reason. Passive smoking is also a great danger to an unborn child. Studies have shown that passive smoke can cause a delay in intellectual and behavioural development, and babies exposed in the utero to passive smoke are at increased risk of pneumonia, bronchitis and laryngitis(Ross Parke & Mary Gauvain 2009). Having both parents
The hypothalamus controls body temperature, hunger, thirst, fatigue, sleep, and circadian cycle. Her 2 What is a Tumor? : The exact cause of hypothalamic tumors is not known. It is likely that they result from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. In children, most hypothalamic tumors are gliomas.
Different areas of the cortex have different functions for example vision, movement and language. If a certain area of the brain is damaged then specific functions may be lost. Therefore the brain must be responsible for behaviour. Describe the GAS model. (8marks) The biological approach assumes that human behaviour can be explained in terms of hormones.
Research with animals suggests that alcohol crosses the placenta and diffuses throughout the fetal tissues the same that it does in the adult tissues. Alcohol as a toxin seems to disrupt the normal growth sequence; the developing fetus cannot later “make up” for these disruptions (Kinney, 2012, p.163). Impairments often reported in people with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) may have multiple contributing factors. For instance, poor prenatal care, poor nutrition and maternal stress during pregnancy. Several studies have shown that children with FASD experience custody changes such as foster care, adoption or being institutionalized (Paley et al.,
Damage to these areas of the brain can change a person’s behaviour for example damage to the frontal lobe can affect personality. Another assumption of the biological approach is behaviour can be explained in terms of hormones. Hormones regulate different behaviours. Hormones are biochemical substances that are produced by endocrine glands such as pituitary glands and adrenal glands. Hormones are transported through the blood stream to various organs and tissues.
Crow (1984) proposed that schizophrenia is caused by a retrovirus which becomes incorporated into a person’s DNA. Research suggests that some disorders such as schizophrenia may be linked to exposure to certain viruses while still in the womb. Torrey (2001) found that
There are two vaccines (Gardisil and Cervaix) that are given to year 8 girls to prevent HPV. “This vaccine is said to save an estimate of 400 women each year [1].” A pathogen is a biological agent that causes diseases or illness to its host A cancer is a term used for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and are able to invade other tissues. Cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph system. Cancer is a problem to body because it can spread and then takes over parts of the body that carries out essential functions A vaccine protects your body from specific diseases that make you become very ill, disabled or even kill you. The way the HPV vaccine works is by using an inactive form of the virus.
Because they create movement within the cell, both the cell as a whole and its subcellular components have the ability to move from one place to another (Kleinsmith & Kish, 1988) [pic](W.H.Freeman & company, 2000) Patients who suffer from Parkinson’s disease have a protein called alpha-synuclein in their brain. The toxic effects from this protein damages neurons in Parkinson’s disease. Study shows that these neurons can be kept protected by inhibiting the action of an enzyme called SIRT2. Microtubules help transport objects within cells and it is known that SIRT2 acts on a huge component of microtubule in order to inhibit its action. Research has shown that inhibition of SIRT2 has lead to microtubule-dependent transportation of alpha-synuclein into large quantities.
Poor nutrition and exposure to toxins, such as lead, may play a role in the development of mental illnesses. 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. Some evidence suggests that a disruption of early fetal brain development or trauma that occurs at the time of birth -- for example, loss of oxygen to the brain -- may be a factor in the development of certain conditions, such as autism. Social and Environmental Causes (Factors around us) Where someone lives and their living conditions along with family and community support networks can play a part along with employment status and work stresses.