Evolutionary Psychology

1. Psychological Disorders
   1. Evolutionary explanations for mental disorders
      1. Misfits between modern and ancestral environments
         1. Impact of lifestyle changes
         2. Technological and societal rapid changes
      2. Adaptive responses gone awry
         1. Anxiety as a hyper-vigilance response
         2. Depression as a response to social withdrawal
         3. OCD as a disorder of heightened threat detection
   2. Adaptive vs. maladaptive traits
      1. Concept of evolutionary mismatch
         1. Traits once advantageous now maladaptive
         2. Example: Thrifty gene hypothesis and obesity
      2. Trade-offs and genetic variability
         1. Balancing selection mechanisms
         2. Genetic predisposition to certain behaviors
   3. Common disorders and their evolutionary roots
      1. Anxiety Disorders
         1. Evolution of fear and avoidance behaviors
         2. Role of neural circuits in threat detection
      2. Depression
         1. Social rank theory and hierarchy impact
         2. Analytical rumination hypothesis
      3. Schizophrenia
         1. Theories on cognitive complexity and social interaction
         2. Connection to creativity and problem-solving
      4. Bipolar Disorder
         1. Mood regulation and social dynamics
         2. Energetic cost of manic episodes
      5. Autism Spectrum Disorders
         1. Theory of mind and social interaction deficits
         2. Pattern recognition and systemizing abilities
      6. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
         1. Hyperactivity as exploratory behavior
         2. Impulse control and innovation
      7. Eating Disorders
         1. Evolution of food surplus and body image
         2. Social norms and reproductive strategies
   4. Evolutionary dynamics in treatment approaches
      1. Integrating evolutionary psychology with therapy
         1. Cognitive-behavioral approaches
         2. Adaptive behavior modifications
      2. Addressing evolutionary mismatches in treatment
         1. Environment modification
         2. Stress and lifestyle interventions
      3. Personalized medicine and genetic understanding
         1. Pharmacogenomics and tailored treatments
         2. Role of genetic screening and family history
   5. Future research directions
      1. Deeper exploration of gene-environment interactions
      2. Longitudinal studies on psychological resilience
      3. Cross-cultural perspectives on mental health
      4. Improving diagnostic frameworks with evolutionary insights