Psychopathology of Mental Illness

1. PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
OF
MENTAL ILLNESS
By:
Prof Sathish Rajamani

2. What is Psychopathology?
• Psychopathology refers to the
study of mental illness,
behaviours and experiences which
may be indicative of mental illness
or psychological impairment.

3. BRAIN STRUCTURE AND
FUNCTIONS REVIEW

4. HUMAN BRAIN
• Human brain is made up of nerve cells which interacts with rest
of the body through the spinal cord and nervous system.
• Several chemicals are also located in the brain which help the
body to maintain homeostasis, or a sense of overall comfort,
• Keeping these chemicals balanced and the nerve cells firing
properly are essential to healthy brain function.

5. PARTS OF THE BRAIN AND ITS
FUNCTIONS
• 3 main parts of the brain are:
Forebrain – Cerebrum, thalamus and hypothalamus.
Midbrain – Tectum and tegmentum
Hindbrain – Cerebellum, pons and medulla ( Midbrain + pons
+ medulla = brain stem)

6. CEREBRUM
• Largest part of the brain
• Divided into four section (temporal lobe, occipital lobe,
parietal lobe and frontal lobe)
• Cerebrum is divided into right & left hemisphere, which are
connected by the axons.

7. CEREBRUM LOBES
• Frontal lobe – responsible for creative thoughts, problem
solving, intellect, judgement, behavior, attention, abstract
thinking, physical reaction, muscle movements, smell and
personality.
• Parietal lobe – responsible for comprehension, visual function,
reading, internal stimuli, tactile sensation and sensory
comprehension.

8. CEREBRUM LOBES
• Temporal lobe – responsible for visual and auditory memories
• Wernicke’s area – this is the portion of the temporal lobe, it helps in
speech formation and understanding.
• Occipital lobe – located in the back of the head, it helps in
vision control.
• Broca’s area – this area controls facial neurons as well as
understanding of the speech and language.

9. CEREBELLUM
• Referred as ‘Little brain’.
• It controls essential functions such as balance, posture,
coordination and allow humans to move properly and
maintain their structure.

10. Limbic System
• It contain glands to relay emotions.
• Many hormonal responses that the body generates are
initiated in the area.
• Limbic system includes amygdala, hippocampus,
hypothalamus and thalamus.

11. Limbic System (Parts)
• Amygdala – helps the body responds to emotions. Memories
and fear.
• Hippocampus – learning memory, converting temporary
memories into permanent memories. Helps people to analyze
and remember spatial relationships.
• Hypothalamus – the hypothalamus control mood, thirst, hunger
and temperature. It also control hormonal processes.

12. Limbic System (Parts)
• Thalamus – located in the center of the brain. It helps to
control the attention span, sensing pain and monitors input
that moves in and out of the brain to keep track of the
sensations the body is feeling.

13. BRAIN STEM
• All basic life functions originated in the brain stem, including heart beat,
blood pressure and breathing.
• Midbrain – Tegmentum and tectum (regulate body movements, vision and
hearing)
• Pons – It interprets information that is used in sensory analysis or motor
control. It also creates level of consciousness necessary for sleep.
• Medulla – Maintains vital body functions such as the heart rate and
breathing.

15. NEUROTRANSMITTERS
• Neurotransmitters are the endogenous chemicals that
transmit signals across a synapse from one neuron to
another.
• These chemicals plays a major role in shaping everyday
life and functions,
• More than 100 chemical messengers have been identified.

16. Chemical classification
• There are many different ways to classify neurotransmitters.
Dividing them into amino acids, peptides and monoamines etc.
• Amino acids – Glutamate aspartate, D – Serine, Gama amino
butyric acid (GABA)
• Monoamines – Dopamine (DA), Norephinephrine, noradrenaline,
ephinephrine, histamine, serotonin.

17. Chemical classification
• Trace amines – Phenylamine
• Peptides – Somatostatin, Substance P, Amphetamines
• Gastro transmitters – Nitric oxide (NO) Carbon Monoxide
(CO), Hydrogen sulfide (H2S)
• Others – Acetylcholine (Ach) Adenosine anandamide etc.

18. FUNCTIONS OF
NEUROTRANSMITTERS
Neurotransmitters Functions Clinical Implications
Glutamate Learning and memory Decrease in stroke, epilepsy,
Alzhiemer’s disease, Huntington’s
disease and Parkinson’s disease
GABA Controls fear or anxiety Decrease in anxiety disorder
Acetyl Choline Contracts smooth muscles, dilates
blood vessels, increases bodily
secretions and slows heart rate
Decrease in Alzheimer's disease
Increase in depression
Dopamine Regulates motor behavior and
emotional arousal
Play’s important role in Parkinson’s
disease and schizophrenia
Decrease in depression
Increase in schizophrenia and
mania

19. FUNCTIONS OF
NEUROTRANSMITTERS
Neurotransmitters Functions Clinical Implications
Serotonin Regulates appetite, sleep, memory
and learning, temperature, mood,
behavior, muscle contraction and
CVS system and endocrine system.
It has a role in depression.
Decrease in depression, dysthymia
and suicidal ideation
Increase in anxiety disorders (GAD,
Panic, OCD etc)
Norephinephrine Increases HR, Blood pumping from
the heart, increases BP, Helps in fat
breakdown increases blood sugar
level to provide energy to the body.
Decrease in anxiety, sleep
disorders and depression
Increase in schizophrenia and
mania.
Epinephrine It is synthesized from tyrosine and
takes part in controlling the adrenal
glands. Plays a role in sleep,
becomes alert in the fight or flight
response
Decrease in anxiety, sleep
disorders and depression
Increase in schizophrenia and
mania.