Psychiatry and neuroscience

Abstract

Objective: To examine the extent to which neuroscience accounts for mental disorders. Method: Relevant literature on this problem was selectively reviewed. Results: Thus far, neuroscience research has contributed more to the understanding of the brain than to determining the causes of mental disorders. Its model is more appropriate to severe than to common mental disorders. A reductionistic approach cannot account for emergent phenomena occurring at the level of the mind. Conclusions: Mental disorders cannot be reduced to abnormalities in neuronal activity; psychiatric symptoms need to be understood at multiple levels.