Selected Formative Assessment Question: In what way has the concept of mind-body dualism had an impact on psychiatry? Describe recent work that undermines this perspective.
Check out one of the following resources that are excerpted from the Neuroscience Perspectives in Psychiatry course.
What’s All the Hysteria About? A Modern Perspective on Functional Neurological Disorders– Words matter – and “hysteria” is one of the worst. Its dubious medical origin (the wandering uterus) is now manifestly preposterous – only the misogyny remains. Here we trace the historical nosology of functional neurological disorders (FNDs) and explore how modern neuroscience is advancing our understanding of their biology.
Check outClinical Neuroscience Conversations – FNDto brush up on how to diagnose FNDs, think about their neurobiology, and, critically, how to discuss them with your patients.
How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Placebo Effect– Placebo effects have been a plague in psychiatric clinical trials (in which up to 50% of patients may respond): they undermine our ability to identify effective treatments, and they propagate the toxic, dualistic notion that psychiatric illnesses are “all in your head.” Check out this mind-blowing TSIRC for a glimpse into the neurobiology of placebo responses. This is an absolute must-watch.
Want to see more of Session 10? Check out the full syllabus here (note: to access the full set of NNCI materials, everything is free but you’ll need to first register for the website)
