Abstract
Psychoanalysis and psychobiology have followed a quite interesting course since the foundation of the former. Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, initially believed that these two paths would eventually converge and that biology would provide scientific validation of the psychoanalytic theory. Although frustrated by the inability of biology to provide adequate answers at his time, he never abandoned the hope that this would be feasible in the future. Thereon, for most of the twentieth century, psychoanalysis and psychobiology have followed divergent courses ignoring or avoiding one another. Nowadays, though, the interest concerning the merging of the two disciplines – depicted by the birth of a new discipline, namely, “neuropsychoanalysis”—revitalized. This is mainly due to technological development and research advances that might shed light to the understanding of human behavior. Thus, there appear many overlapping areas of interest between the two disciplines including the unconscious itself, memory and repression, defense mechanisms, dreaming, motives, drives, and the notion of the self and the ego, among others. So long as the twenty-first century is considered as the brain century, the issue of bridging psychoanalysis and psychobiology might as well represent the “controversial discussions” of this century; many questions are raised concerning this potential bridging. Will it be feasible and meaningful in the first place, as well as legitimate and mutually beneficial? Many researchers have engaged in this debate with pros and cons presented and discussed extensively. The seed has been planted and a fruitful dialogue is taking place.
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Appendix
Appendix
10.1.1 Self-Assessment Questions
-
1.
Sigmund Freud, founder of psychoanalysis:
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(a)
Was an eminent psychologist who had nothing to do with neurobiology.
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(b)
Essentially never gave up the belief that psychoanalytic ideas could eventually find biological evidence.
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(c)
Had no interest in establishing psychoanalysis as a widely accepted discipline within medical science.
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(d)
None of the above.
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(a)
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2.
According to Kandel, neuroscience could contribute to psychoanalysis in:
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(a)
Understanding preconscious and unconscious mental processes.
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(b)
Clarifying psychological causality and its relation to early experience.
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(c)
Identifying brain structural changes in response to psychotherapy.
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(d)
All of the above.
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(a)
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3.
According to Kandel:
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(a)
Psychobiology and psychoanalysis have nothing in common to be studied.
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(b)
There is a necessity for a scientific dialogue between neuroscience and psychiatry-psychoanalysis.
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(c)
The time for a dialogue between neuroscience and psychoanalysis has not come yet.
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(d)
None of the above.
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(a)
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4.
Human behavior is determined by genes which are in no way influenced by environmental factors.
True False.
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5.
Which of the following is true?
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(a)
Psychoanalysis and neuroscience have always been in a state of mutual disregard and conflict.
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(b)
Over the last two decades, there has risen a mutual interest of both neuroscientists and psychoanalysts regarding the bridging of the two disciplines.
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(c)
Bridging between neuroscience and psychoanalysis should lead to a merging of the two disciplines in one.
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(d)
None of the above.
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(a)
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6.
“First-person neuroscience” aims to study:
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(a)
The subjective experience of mental life by means of carefully designed first-person assessment tools.
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(b)
A person’s behavior observed by the most suitable (first-person) investigator.
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(c)
A person’s early experiences with parents and siblings (first-degree relatives).
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(d)
None of the above.
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(a)
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7.
It is unanimously accepted that neuroscientific findings represents the final “court of appeal” for psychoanalytic theory and practice.
True False.
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8.
Neuropsychoanalysis aims:
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(a)
To teach psychoanalysts how the brain operates.
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(b)
To teach neuroscientists the dynamics that underlie human behavior.
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(c)
To provide evidence that could help neuroscience and psychoanalysis engage in a mutually beneficial dialogue.
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(d)
None of the above.
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(a)
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9.
Dual-aspect monism as postulated by Solms and colleagues refers to.
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(a)
The mind and brain seen as one and the same entity investigated from two complementary perspectives.
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(b)
The existence of two contradictory opinions on how the brain operates.
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(c)
The dual function of genes.
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(d)
None of the above.
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(a)
-
10.
The “spatiotemporal structure” of the brain resting-state activity has been parallelized by Northoff with the Freudian non-anatomical conceptualization of the “psychological structure” of the mental apparatus.
True False.
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11.
The discovery of mirror neurons has provided insight regarding:
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(a)
Hallucinations.
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(b)
Projections.
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(c)
Empathy.
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(d)
None of the above.
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(a)
-
12.
The existence in humans of a mirror neurons system similar to that discovered in monkeys is true for:
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(a)
Actions.
-
(b)
Emotions.
-
(c)
Sensations.
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(d)
All of the above.
-
(a)
-
13.
According to current neuroscientific findings:
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(a)
The “wish-fulfilling” function of dreaming can no longer be supported.
-
(b)
The “derepression” function of dreaming can be confirmed.
-
(c)
The interpretation of dreams renders clinically meaningless.
-
(d)
None of the above.
-
(a)
-
14.
The default mode network (DMN):
-
(a)
Is responsible for the default answers brain utilizes when faced up with vague stimuli.
-
(b)
Is linked to the extrinsic view of brain function.
-
(c)
Is located in the limbic system.
-
(d)
None of the above.
-
(a)
-
15.
Certain memories might be unable to enter consciousness due to:
-
(a)
Repression.
-
(b)
Acute loss of hippocampal neurons in case of traumas.
-
(c)
Suppression.
-
(d)
Any of the above.
-
(a)
-
16.
DMN and the concept of Ego have been parallelized, based on:
-
(a)
The integrated and compound nature of both.
-
(b)
Their acting as a regulatory system exerting a top-down control.
-
(c)
Their representing a tonic reservoir of activity.
-
(d)
All of the above.
-
(a)
-
17.
The existence of unconscious mental processes has been verified for cognitive but not emotional aspects.
True False.
-
18.
Among others, one thing that makes the absolute convergence between psychoanalysis and neuroscience unfeasible is that the latter cannot satisfactorily address and handle.
-
(a)
The how.
-
(b)
The why.
-
(c)
The where and what.
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(d)
None of the above.
-
(a)
-
19.
A dialogue between neuroscience and psychoanalysis might.
-
(a)
Help neuroscientists for a better targeted research.
-
(b)
Provide scientific foundation for some psychoanalytic formulations.
-
(c)
Provide insight about the effectiveness of certain aspects of psychoanalytic technical tools.
-
(d)
All of the above.
-
(a)
-
20.
Neuroscientific findings could help clinicians decide between providing patients either psychoanalytic or psychopharmacological treatment.
True False.
10.1.2 Answers
1 | B | 6 | A | 11 | C | 16 | D |
2 | D | 7 | False | 12 | D | 17 | False |
3 | B | 8 | C | 13 | B | 18 | B |
4 | False | 9 | A | 14 | D | 19 | D |
5 | B | 10 | True | 15 | D | 20 | False |
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Andreoulakis, E., Ierodiakonou-Benou, I. (2019). Psychobiology and Psychoanalysis. In: Fountoulakis, K., Nimatoudis, I. (eds) Psychobiology of Behaviour. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-18323-3_10
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