How Pathogenesis is structured
Etiology (Causes) of diseases and disorders
- Genetic factors
- Biological factors (neurochemistry, brain structure)
- Psychological factors (personality, trauma, cognition)
- Environmental factors (stress, family, social context)
- Lifestyle factors (sleep, substance use, activity)
Mechanisms – how illness “works”
- Biological mechanisms (e.g., neurotransmitter dysfunction)
- Psychological mechanisms (e.g., maladaptive thinking, learned behaviors)
- Social mechanisms (e.g., isolation, cultural expectations)
- Behavioral patterns (habits, avoidance, rituals)
Stages – the escalation of illness
- Precipitating events (triggers)
- Early signs (prodromal phase)
- Onset (first symptoms)
- Progression (development over time)
- Chronicity vs. recovery/remission
Maintenance Factors – the order of disorder
What perpetuates the disorder (feedback loops, ongoing stress, beliefs)
Secondary gains (benefits from symptoms)
Barriers to recovery (stigma, lack of resources)
Outcomes – what disease “delivers”
- Acute episode
- Chronic course
- Spontaneous remission
- Relapse/recurrence
- Recovery
Comorbidities – the relatives of disorder and illness
Other disorders or conditions that frequently co-occur
Impact on pathogenesis (e.g., depression + anxiety)
Illnesses and disorders – the clinical blue print
Example Entity Triples
- Depression = pathogenesis of Sadness, fatigue, loss of interest develop after chronic stress
- Hoarding: maintained by the Bbelief “throwing away is dangerous” and “giving away is a loss”
- OCD — has cause in Genetic predisposition and childhood anxiety
- Cherophobia progresses to avoidance of pleasurable activities
- Childhood trauma increases likelihood of adult depression
- Resilience decreases likelihood of chronic course
- Therapy ameliorates maintenance factors
Read more about salutogenesis.
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