Redefining Psychopathology From an Anatomical and Functional Perspective
After more than a century of scientific study and philosophical debate, the distinction between psychological and psychiatric illness remains unclear. The challenge of distinguishing between these seemingly different forms of pathology continues to cause errors in patient referral, delays in therapeutic progress, and, in some cases, an actual worsening of symptoms due to the application of inappropriate treatment techniques. The fundamental cause of the confusion has been a lack of clarity about the anatomy of the cognitive-emotional system and the mechanism by which psychological, emotional, and behavior abnormalities are produced. Also lacking is an understanding of how intrapsychic tension affects neurophysiology and vice-versa, as this too is dependent upon a more comprehensive understanding of the cognitive-emotional system. In this discussion, the anatomical and functional relationship between the mind and the brain will be more clearly elucidated, and the different forms of psychopathology will be more clearly defined.
