PSYO 1011 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Twin, Serotonin Transporter, Mental Disorder

• School: Dalhousie University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYO 1011
• Professor: Leanne Stevens,Shelley Adamo,Kevin Duffy,Jennifer Stamp

Document Summary

Complex behavioral disorders (e. g. depression) appear to be only partly genetically determined. One study found a variant that correlated with depression. Later study, same variant found to correlate with depression when individual exposed to early childhood trauma. Study by caspi et al (2003), many groups repeated study. Latest study (2016) concluded that no firm conclusion is possible. All the variants of proteins add up to a increased susceptibility for mental disorder. Genes play a role in the brain and some role in behaviour/ tendency for mental illness (not due to single genes) All animal behaviour can be explained by evolution. Charles darwin"s theory of evolution natural selection. Which individuals survive depends partly upon inherited characteristics (genes) Genes that increase successful reproduction (production of offspring) will be selected for, that is, become more common in the next generation. Increased reproduction could occur via many different routes (increased survival)