Evolutionary Psychiatry
Current Perspectives on Evolution and Mental Health

This book explores how insights from evolution can transform our understanding of mental health and mental disorder.

Riadh Abed (Edited by), Paul St John-Smith (Edited by)

9781316516560, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 29 September 2022

338 pages
25.9 x 18.3 x 2 cm, 0.83 kg

'In this remarkable book, the editors have brought together international leading thinkers and clinicians to illuminate how understanding the evolutionary history and functions of the mind provide crucial insights into our vulnerabilities to mental health difficulties and what we require to flourish. It is full of fascinating and detailed analyses of basic processes, from epigenetics, the role of hunter-gatherer societies in shaping our social motives, through to evolutionary conceptualisations of a range of different types of mental health problems and their treatment. With increasing recognition that progress in understanding, developing interventions for, and preventing mental health problems requires insight into how our brains, bodies, and minds came to be the way they are, this book makes an outstanding contribution and will be a major resource for clinicians and researchers for many years to come.' Paul Gilbert, PhD OBE, Author of Human Nature and Suffering, Depression: The Evolution of Powerlessness, Compassion Focused Therapy

Evolutionary psychiatry attempts to explain and examine the development and prevalence of psychiatric disorders through the lens of evolutionary and adaptationist theories. In this edited volume, leading international evolutionary scholars present a variety of Darwinian perspectives that will encourage readers to consider 'why' as well as 'how' mental disorders arise. Using insights from comparative animal evolution, ethology, anthropology, culture, philosophy and other humanities, evolutionary thinking helps us to re-evaluate psychiatric epidemiology, genetics, biochemistry and psychology. It seeks explanations for persistent heritable traits shaped by selection and other evolutionary processes, and reviews traits and disorders using phylogenetic history and insights from the neurosciences as well as the effects of the modern environment. By bridging the gap between social and biological approaches to psychiatry, and encouraging bringing the evolutionary perspective into mainstream psychiatry, this book will help to inspire new avenues of research into the causation and treatment of mental disorders.

List of Contributors
Foreword
George Ikkos Preface
1. Introduction to Evolutionary Psychiatry Riadh Abed, Paul St John-Smith
2. The Biopsychosocial Model Advanced by Evolutionary Theory Adam Hunt, Paul St John-Smith and Riadh Abed
3. Hominin Evolution I: The Origins of Homo sapiens Derek K. Tracy
4. Hominin Evolution II: Sapiens, Masters of the Known Universe Derek K. Tracy
5. Hunter-Gatherers, Mismatch and Mental Disorder Nikhil Chaudhary, Gul Deniz Salali
6. Why Do Mental Disorders Persist? Evolutionary Foundations for Psychiatry Randolph M. Nesse
7. Anxiety Disorders in Evolutionary Perspective Randolph M. Nesse
8. Evolutionary Perspectives on Depression Markus J. Rantala, Severi Luoto
9. On the Randomness of Suicide: An Evolutionary, Clinical Call to Transcend Suicide Risk Assessment C. A. Soper, Pablo Malo Ocejo, Matthew M. Large
10. Evolutionary Perspectives on Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders Martin Brüne
11. Evolutionary Perspectives on Eating Disorders Riadh Abed, Agnes Ayton
12. Substance Abuse and Evolution Riadh Abed, Paul St John-Smith
13. The Social Function of Alcohol from an Evolutionary Perspective Robin I. M. Dunbar
14. Evolutionary Perspectives on Childhood Trauma Annie Swanepoel, Michael J. Reiss, John Launer, Graham Music, Bernadette Wren
15. Evolutionary Perspectives on Neurodevelopmental Disorders Annie Swanepoel, Michael J. Reiss, John Launer, Graham Music, Bernadette Wren
16. Maternal Negativity and Child Maltreatment: How Evolutionary Perspectives Contribute to a Layered and Compassionate Understanding Daniela F. Sieff
17. Alzheimer's Disease as a Disease of Evolutionary Mismatch, with a Focus on Reproductive Life History Molly Fox
18. Psychopharmacology and Evolution Paul St John-Smith, Riadh Abed, Martin Brüne
19. What the Evolutionary and Cognitive Sciences Offer the Sciences of Crime and Justice Brian B. Boutwell, Megan Suprenant, Todd K. Shackelford
20. Evolutionary Thinking and Clinical Care of Psychiatric Patients Alfonso Troisi.

Subject Areas: Medical anthropology [PSXM], Evolution [PSAJ], Psychiatry [MMH], Mental health services [MBPK], Physiological & neuro-psychology, biopsychology [JMM], Social, group or collective psychology [JMH], Anthropology [JHM]