Neuroanalysis: a method for brain-related neuroscientific diagnosis of mental disorders.

BACKGROUND

As an Ancient Chinese proverb says "The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their right names" thus we must start calling mental disorders by the names of their underlying brain disturbances. Without knowledge of the causes of mental disorders, their cures will remain elusive.

METHODS

Neuroanalysis is a literature-based re-conceptualization of mental disorders as disturbances of brain organization. Psychosis and schizophrenia can be re-conceptualized as disturbances to connectivity and hierarchical dynamics in the brain; mood disorders can be re-conceptualized as disturbances to optimization dynamics and free energy in the brain, and finally personality disorders can be re-conceptualized as disordered default-mode networks in the brain.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

Knowledge and awareness of the disease algorithms of mental disorders will become critical because powerful technologies for controlling brain activity are developing and becoming available. The time will soon come when psychiatrists will be asked to define the exact 'algorithms' of disturbances in their psychiatric patients. Neuroanalysis can be a starting point for the response to that challenge.