Wender (1990) Biological Explanation

Question 1

Aim

Answer 1

To investigate the contribution of genetic and environment factors in the aetiology of mood disorders

Question 2

Participants

Answer 2

Adoptive and biological relatives of 71 adult adoptees - mean age: 43.7 who had a mood disorder.

71 adult adoptees with a mean age of 44, who were psychologically normal.

The adults had been removed from their mothers at an early age.

Question 3

Procedure

Answer 3

Psychiatric evaluations of the relatives were made by independent blind diagnoses of mental hospital and other official records.

Question 4

Results

Answer 4

there was an 8 fold increase in unipolar depression among the biological relatives of the adults.

there was a 15 fold increase in suicide among the biological relatives of the adults

Question 5

Conclusions

Answer 5

There is a significant genetic link between unipolar depression and suicide.