Disorders of Thought and Mood: Connectivity, Transmission, and Modulation as Trinity of Biological Psychiatry

Abstract

Looking at the state of knowledge on the biological etiology of disorders of thought and mood as neuropathologist, I have encountered a broad range of associations between genetic and epigenetic findings, various relations to the contemporary knowledge on the importance of connectivity, neurotransmission, and modulation by neuropeptides, but nothing appeared sufficiently specific, so far. Taking disorders such as schizophrenia, anxiety, or autisms as examples I have critically reviewed and commented seven main hypotheses on the etiology of mental disorders. The often mutually exclusive or contradictory hypotheses are each fascinating in their highly sophisticated approaches, but remain altogether confusing; is there anything not responsible for disorders of thought and mood? If illnesses are poorly understood, they are poorly treated.