To date, psychiatrists and other health professionals have struggled to understand the causes of mental illnesses. Researchers at Montreal’s McGill University are working to change that situation. They have found evidence that several early-onset psychiatric issues can be linked to a combination of three factors. The psychiatric problems involved are as follows:
• Addictions
• ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
• Anxiety
• Bulimia
• Depression
• Dyslexia
Factors that May Predict Mental Illness
The McGill researchers isolated these three factors that they say are responsible for mental illness.
1. Biology
The brain’s dopamine reward pathway varies from person to person.
2. Social
Suppose a person has a history of early childhood neglect or abuse. In that case, they are at a higher risk of developing a mental illness during adulthood.
3. Psychology
This factor relates to a person’s general temperament. In particular, it focuses on a person’s tendencies toward impulsivity and whether they have difficulty controlling their emotions.
The researchers’ findings have ramifications for understanding the cause of several psychiatric disorders and the characteristics to focus on in early intervention attempts.
Marco Leyton, the senior author of a recent study published in Neuropsychopharmacology, stated that until recently, the mental health field thought that psychiatric disorders represented distinct diseases and each had unique causes. The McGill University professor says that the new research overturns the previous conclusions. He suggests that most early onset mental illnesses reflect different expressions of biological, social, and psychological factors.
Three Factors Predict Likelihood of Mental Illness with Over 90% Accuracy
The combination of these three factors can predict with an accuracy rate of more than 90% which of the participants in the McGill study had prior mental health issues. The factors could also predict which study participants would develop mental health concerns during the study’s follow-up period, which lasted for three years.
These study results are so impressive that the researchers will continue their work with a double-sized sample. This time, they will follow the study participants into their mid-twenties. Maisha Iqbal, a graduate student and the study’s first author, said these results need to be reproduced with larger groups and more ethnically diverse ones. If researchers can replicate their results, they can potentially change how scientists view mental illness.
Source: https://www.mcgill.ca/newsroom/channels/news/new-understanding-mental-illness-335396