The Relevance of Neuroscience for Psychiatrists

by Vikki Stefans | January 03, 2013 8:04 PM EST

Though removing stigma from a societal point of view via understanding neuroscience may not be effective, giving patients a way to feel strong rather than weak, as people who are overcoming or needing to overcome some unfavorable neurobiology, can be enormously valuable to the individual in treatment. I think Part II describes this pretty eloquently. So many people don't do what they need to do medically because they think they should be able to do it on their own - be "like everbody else"- just by force of will. People are much more prone to do this with medical illnesses rather than mental disorders, still somehow perceving the latter as not "real" (no suprise, half the people on any given blog still don't see some diagnoses as real that have been validated for quite some time now!!) As long as you protect them from thinking that because it is biological or genetic it can't be managed or altered - a common misunderstanding in the genetics world, particularly in regards to obesity and diabetes-related genes - it can be very empowering and encouraging.

by Daniel Jordan | December 14, 2012 12:45 PM EST

As Dr. Akil points out in Part I, we need to move from an either/or to a both/and perspective. The false dichotomies of mind & brin, scientfic & humanistic and psychotherapy & medication are but a few examples.

by Ronald Pies | October 26, 2012 2:10 PM EDT

I believe that neuroscience may be one factor that can help reduce prejudice and animus toward those with psychiatric illness; however, the problem must be attacked on several levels. We need to help the general public see and appreciate the many thousands of creative, productive, and tremendously decent individuals who struggle with --and often surmount--major psychiatric illnesses, such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and major depression. Dr. Kay Jamison is but one prominent example. When the general public comes to understand that those with psychiatric illness are not "The Other", but rather, our sons and daughters and brothers and sisters, perhaps then neuroscience will help us see mental illness in a more balanced perspective.

Ronald Pies MD

by Bruce Levine | October 26, 2012 1:15 PM EDT

Unfortunately the idea that neuroscience can combat stigma is probably not true (Pescosolido et al, AJP, Nov 2010), or at least highly flawed. Pescosolido reported that where attribution of a neurobiological cause led to increased uptake of medical treatment but either neutral or increase of stigmatizing reactions.