Sociophysiology as the basic science of psychiatry

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Social Sciences

Background:

• Historically, psychiatry lacked a scientific basis, with psychoanalysis diverging from brain physiology.
• Eli Robins advocated for empiricism, integrating psychiatry with general medicine and acknowledging the brain's role.
• Current understanding requires a broader view of biology in psychiatry, encompassing social aspects.

Observation:

• Psychiatric pathologies are deviations from normal brain physiology.
• Psychoanalytic pathogenesis was historically unscientific due to its non-refutable observations.
• The centrality of the brain in psychiatric conditions is acknowledged.

Findings:

• The term 'sociophysiology' is proposed as the basic science for psychiatry.
• Sociophysiology encompasses social facets of organismal function, specifically brain functions related to the social realm.
• Disruptions in sociophysiology lead to deviant behaviors and unpleasant feelings.

Implications:

• This framework integrates social aspects into biological psychiatry.
• Future research should combine genome-neural-behavioral analyses for a comprehensive understanding.
• This approach aims to enhance the scientific foundation of psychiatry for better diagnosis and treatment.