Genes, Memes, Culture, and Mental Illness: Toward an Integrative ModelWhat produces mental illness: genes, environment, both,neither? The answer can be found in memes—replicable units of information linking genes and environment in the memory and in culture—whose effects on individual brain development can be benign or toxic. This book reconceptualizes mental disorders as products of stressful gene-meme interactions and introduces a biopsychosocial template for meme-based diagnosis and treatment. A range of therapeutic modalities, both broad-spectrum (meditation) and specific(cognitive-behavioral), for countering negative memes and their replication are considered, as are possibilities for memetic prevention strategies. In this book, the author outlines the roles of genes and memes in the evolution of the human brain; elucidates the creation, storage, and evolution of memes within individual brains; examines culture as a carrier and supplier of memes to the individual; provides examples of gene-meme interactions that can result in anxiety, depression, and other disorders; proposes a multiaxial gene-meme model for diagnosing mental illness; identifies areas of meme-based prevention for at-risk children; and defines specific syndromes in terms of memetic symptoms, genetic/ memetic development, and meme-based treatment. |
Contents
Genes Memes Culture and the Individual | 35 |
Part III Principles of Diagnosis and Treatment of Mental Illness | 162 |
Part IV Specific Psychiatric Syndromes | 220 |
Other editions - View all
Genes, Memes, Culture, and Mental Illness: Toward an Integrative Model Hoyle Leigh No preview available - 2010 |
Genes, Memes, Culture, and Mental Illness: Toward an Integrative Model Hoyle Leigh No preview available - 2010 |
Genes, Memes, Culture, and Mental Illness: Toward an Integrative Model Hoyle Leigh No preview available - 2011 |
Common terms and phrases
5-HTTLPR activity adaptive addiction allele amygdala anxiety associated avatar Axis BDNF behavior therapy bipolar brain codes broad-spectrum cells Chapter chromosome cingulate cognitive conflict conscious cortical culture Dialectical behavior therapy discussed disease disorder dissociative DNA methylation dominant dopamine drugs dysfunction effects emotional environment epigenetic evolution evolutionary example existing memes expression function genes and memes genetic Geologic timescale hippocampus Hoyle Leigh human imitation incoming memes individual infection infusion involves major depression mechanism meme interaction meme pool meme-oriented therapies meme-processing memeplexes memetic memory mental health Mental Illness methylation mirror neurons mutation Neurosci normal nucleus nucleus accumbens organism pathogenic memes pathway patient phenotype placebo pleasure polymorphism prefrontal cortex protein psychiatric syndromes psychosis psychotherapy PTSD receptor replication response result role schizophrenia selfplexes sensory serotonin transporter short allele social somatic specific spectrum syndromes stimulation stress memes symptoms synapse tion toxic memes traits treatment unconscious vulnerability