The insane woman - mental disorders and female life history - a Darwinian approach

Autor(en)

Sylvia Kirchengast

Abstrakt

Gender based differences in the prevalence rate of mental disorders are described since ancient times. In particular a strong association between female reproductive events such as sexual maturity, pregnancy, postpartum period or menopause and mental illness was described and mainly used to describe the female sex as the weak and emotionally instable one. In this review mental disorders associated with specific stages of female life history are analyzed and interpreted from the viewpoint of evolutionary medicine. In particular the association between female adolescence and eating disorders, reproductive phase and postpartum depression and depression during post menopause are focused on using an evolutionary approach. From that viewpoint mental disorders associated with female life history events seem to be adaptive to some degree, but mental disorders may also be interpreted as a result of the mismatch between recent life circumstances and the environment in which our ancestors evolved.

Organisation(en)

Department für Evolutionäre Anthropologie

Journal

Neuropsychiatry

Band

6

Seiten

286-297

Anzahl der Seiten

12

DOI

https://doi.org/10.4172/Neuropsychiatry.1000151

Publikationsdatum

2016

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ÖFOS 2012

106018 Humanbiologie

Schlagwörter

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Clinical Neurology, Psychiatry and Mental health

Link zum Portal

https://ucris.univie.ac.at/portal/de/publications/the-insane-woman--mental-disorders-and-female-life-history--a-darwinian-approach(758a57fa-419d-43e7-919e-687f6841aefd).html