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Biological psychiatry marching towards the future and the perils of progress

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 September 2015

H.M. van Praag
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Summary

The study of the biological determinants of abnormal behavior is not anymore psychiatry's stepchild, but a respected branch of that discipline. There is every reason to be optimistic over the future of biological psychiatry. The brain sciences are developing with astounding speed and the systematic attention for psychiatric-diagnosis and differential diagnosis renders biological psychiatry an unprecedented vitality.

One should, however, not ignore some disquieting prospects. The following points of concern are discussed: the alarming shortage of young research psychiatrists; the deficiencies in the teaching of biological psychiatry; the hesitancy to utilize the fruits of brain and behavior research in clinical practice; the shortcomings in psychiatric diagnosing; nosological tunnel vision and, finally, the danger of overrating biological psychiatry with the inevitable disappointment reaction that will follow. The scientific maturation of psychiatry is contingent on a balanced development of its constituents.

Keywords

dangers impending over biological psychiatrygrowth of biological psychiatrybalanced development of psychiatrygevaren in de biologische psychiatriegroei van de biologische psychiatrieevenwichtige ontwikkeling van de psychiatrie
Type
Research Article
Information
Acta Neuropsychiatrica , Volume 3 , Issue 3 , September 1991 , pp. 36 - 41
Copyright
Copyright © Scandinavian College of Neuropsychopharmacology 1991

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References

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