Mental health disorders affect emotions, behavior and thought processes which impact on the day-to-day functioning and well-being of the individual, and the family unit. The consequences can be devastating and should be placed in the context that globally there are approximately 800 million people who have a mental health disorder, of which approximately 500 million have either depression or anxiety. Approximately 45 million people have bipolar disorder and 20 million have schizophrenia. Eating disorders affects 15 million people. Substance use disorders affects nearly a billion people worldwide. In many cases treatment can be carried out using pharmacological and nonpharmacological regimens. However, it is important to consider that the biological and pathological elements of these mental disorders are often overlooked, understanding which platforms for diagnosis and treatments.
This comprehensive reference covers the full range of psychological disorders, examining the biological aspects of what is displayed as behavior. Each major psychological disorder receives its own chapter with information on genetic, chemical, and biological components that are key factors in the etiology and course of the pathology. The interrelationship of human behavior and physical health is a complex but critical part of understanding the mental condition, and this reference lays out a way of understanding the role of the biological mechanisms.
This handbook is designed for psychologists, psychiatrists, judicial professionals, behavioral scientists, pathologists, psychologists, psychiatric nurses and doctors, neurologists, health scientists, general practitioners, research scientists and all those interested in altered behavior, mental health and disease. It is also valuable as a personal reference book and for academic libraries that cover behavioral or medical sciences.
Colin R. Martin is Visiting Professor of Perinatal Wellbeing at the Institute of Health and Wellbeing at the University of Suffolk, UK. He has published or has in press well over 300 research papers and book chapters. He is a keen book author and editor having written and/or edited more than 30 books. Professor Martin is particularly interested in the psychobiological interface between psychological and physical well-being, neurological status and pathology and nutritional substrates. His broad clinical work within the mental health field has brought him into direct contact with clinical presentations where challenging behaviour is common, including substance abuse and alcohol dependency, schizophrenia, personality disorder and medium and high secure forensic mental health environments.
Victor R. Preedy is Professor of Clinical Biochemistry (Hon) at Kings College Hospital and Emeritus Professor of Clinical Biochemistry at King's College London. He has an Honorary Professorship at the University of Suffolk and was the long-term Director of the Genomics Centre at King's College London from 2006 to 2020. Professor Preedy was recently elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine in 2022 and prior to that elected as a Fellow of The Royal Society of Biology, The Royal College of Pathologists, The Royal Society for the Promotion of Health, The Royal Institute of Public Health and Hygiene, The Royal Society for Public Health and The Royal Society of Chemistry. Prof Preedy is a leading expert on the science of health and wellbeing, and has published over 750 articles, which includes peer-reviewed manuscripts based on original research, abstracts and symposium presentations, reviews and edited books.
Vinood B. Patel is Professor in Clinical Biochemistry at the University of Westminster. In 2014 Dr Patel was elected as a Fellow to The Royal Society of Chemistry. He is a nationally and internationally recognized researcher and has edited several biomedical books. He has interests in metabolic pathways particularly related to mitochondrial energy regulation. He conducts research into antioxidants, phytochemicals, iron, alcohol and fatty acids in the pathophysiology of liver and neurological conditions. Other areas of interest are identifying new biomarkers that can be used for the diagnosis and prognosis of disease and understanding the biological basis of autism.
Dr Rajkumar Rajendram is a distinguished clinician-scientist who has a focus on acute internal medicine, anaesthesia, intensive care and peri-operative medicine. He is currently a Consultant in Internal Medicine at King Abdulaziz Medical City, National Guard Heath Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and is actively involved in the management of a broad range of neurological and endocrine diseases relevant to the biology and pathology of mental disorders. As a clinician scientist Dr Rajendram has also devoted significant time and effort into neuroscientific research and education. He is a joint appointment Associate Professor in the College of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and has published over 450 textbook chapters, review articles, peer-reviewed papers and abstracts many of which are related to the pathogenesis, investigation and treatment of diseases which require critical care. He has edited several books that explore the interface between the biology and pathology of mental disorders.
