Resumen

LUZ, Fabíola; BRUNE, Martin  y  BUSSAB, Vera Silvia Raad. Evolutionary psychopathology: basic considerations. Rev. etol. [online]. 2004, vol.6, n.2, pp. 119-129. ISSN 1517-2805.

This article presents a general overview of psychopathology from an evolutionary biology point of view. The conceptual analytical tools of evolutionary psychology are examined, using as a basis the distinction between proximate and ultimate causes, aiming at a new understanding of psychiatric disturbances, more specifically disturbances present in addictions. Taking into account the adaptive function of symptoms leads to the identification of underlying functional systems and guides investigation. A two-way analytical path from ultimate causes to proximate and vice-versa, is applied to the understanding of disturbances such as autism and schizophrenia which are related to the "social brain" and to the "theory of mind", and also applied to the analysis of cases of addict patients, suffering from pathological gambling, compulsive shopping, compulsive sex and drug addiction.

Palabras clave : Evolutionary psychopathology; Psychiatric disorders; Addiction.

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