Biological explanations of MDD

Evolutionary Theory

casest-1-pdf: Brilliant worksheet by Aidan Sammons about Farmer John, to set the wheels in motion as we start to think about the biological factors that affect depression.
biomod-1-pdf-1: A worksheet by Aidan to accompany the discussion leading from the Farmer John case study.
depbio-1-ppt: A great PowerPoint from Aidan to underpin the growing knowledge of biological factors linked with depression.

The Role of Genetics

Bio exps studies.doc: What do these familial, twin and adoption studies lead us to conclude about the origins of depression?

moodge-1-pdf: Thinking further about genetic factors and depression

The Role of Neurotransmitters

moodne-1-pdf: Revising neurotransmission and making links to depression – the monoamine hypotheses
neurochemical-hypotheses-table Consolidating knowledge of the mono-amine hypothesis and sorting research evidence to support and refute the hypotheses.
Evaluating the neurochemical explanation of MDD

evaluate-bbio-exp-dep: A table to sort the studies into for and against.

Delgado (1994) abstract: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7944875

bio-expl-evaluation-revised; A PowerPoint to guide us through a series of exercises to help consolidate and apply AO1 and to move us into the AO3.

alternative-theory-of-upd: An alternative theory of depression that can be used as evaluation and might also be very handy for a nature/nurture essay on depression.

dont-be-dre-ao2: Dre needs your help again! He’s been revising the studies to support/refute and the alternative theory but things aren’t going too well for him…

jigsaw: A template to help slot everything together for your evaluative essay.

Articles about current thinking on the serotonin depletion hypothesis:

FOR SEROTONIN DEPLETION: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/nov/05/study-finds-first-evidence-of-link-between-low-serotonin-levels-and-depressionCOUNTERAE

COUNTER ARGUMENTS

From the Guardian newspaper: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/mar/14/the-great-serotonin-debate-do-depression-treatments-work-by-boosting-the-happy-hormone

Original paper Moncrieff et al (2022): https://www.nature.com/articles/s41380-022-01661-0

Assessment Questions

  • Discuss a biological approach to explaining the aetiology of one disorder.
  • Discuss one aetiology of one disorder.

Sample Essay: dep bio ERQThis essay is way too long, can you work out what to cut and still have a top drawer essay?