In this essay we will discuss about the applications of computers in mental health.
Modelling of Cognition and Behaviour in Teaching and Research:
The brain has often been likened to a computer, neurons and wires that are connected to each other through switches known as synapses.
Computers lack self-direction, intuitiveness, innovativeness, imaginativeness, metaphoricality, creativity, flexibility, versatility, emotionality, irrationality, inconsistency, subjectivity, consciousness and other ‘mind’ characteristics, unless they are preprogrammed to exhibit responses that simulate these characteristics.
Computers handle only issues concerning which they have been programmed.
Computer can be used to mimic a variety of physiological or behavioural processes such as memory, language, perception and related functions.
Simulations of Impaired Cognition:
Several scientists have used computer programs that model the neuronal basis of memory using the principle of attractor neural networks.
Synaptic runway models which have been employed, are pathological, exponential growths of synaptic connections occurring when previously stored memory patterns interfere with the storage of new patterns in the neural network model.
The interference is proactive computers can simulate schizophrenic and manic symptoms, delusions, epilepsy, phantom limb syndrome, cortical map reorganization after a stroke, structural versus functional damage in multi-infarct dementia, movement disturbance in Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s disease, functioning of the prefrontal cortex in affective, memory and behavioural dimensions, etc.
Applications of Computers in Assessments and Investigations:
In clinical practice, computers may be used to assist in diagnosis, to rate the severity of symptomatology, and to evaluate progress.
(a) Computer Assisted Interviews:
To reduce or eliminate the problems of structuring, high cost and training a number of diagnostic interviews in psychiatry have been computerized. The errors due to incorrect probing, or the entry of inappropriate values, are minimized. For example, the Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS), used to generate DSM diagnoses, has been computerized.
An abbreviated version of the DIS, known as the DIS Screening Interview (DISSI), has also been constructed and computerized. Drawbacks and difficulties in DISSI have led to the development of a Quick DIS-IIIR (Q-DIS) computerized interview which enquires after symptoms (related to diagnostic criteria) in logical sequence.
Computerized screening for psychiatric disorders in an outpatient setting has been described, using an instrument known as PRIME-MD (Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders).
(b) Computerized Assessment of Symptomatology:
Computerized interviews are available to obtain clinical ratings such as for depression, using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, using the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (YBOCS), for anxiety, using the Hamilton Anxiety Scale, and for social phobia, using the Leibowitz Social Anxiety Scale.
(c) Computerized Ratings of Progress:
A programme called CORD (Clinical Outcome and Resource Measure), the program allows clinicians and patients to use a computer to rate any outcome for which there is a measure.
(d) Applications of Computers in Investigations. e.g.,:
Applications of Computers in Investigations CT Scan, MRI, PET Scan, EEG, VEEG (Video EEG), Chromatography and in experimental labs.
Applications of Computers in Treatment:
Computer software has been developed with the capability to provide psychotherapy to the patient with limited or no human supervision.
There are several situations in which the computer can partly or entirely replace a human therapist e.g., cognitive therapy of depression, and anxiety behaviour therapy of phobic disorders, restructuring of self-esteem, self-analysis treating cognitive deficits, and cognitive retraining of brain damaged persons. The dialogue mode permits the program and the patient to interact in everyday language.
Applications of Computers in Administrative Psychiatry:
(a) The storage of Records in a Suitably Constructed Database.
(b) Construction of Reports, Certificates and Other Important Documents.
(c) On-line Monitoring of Drug Utilization and Other Patterns.
(d) Monitoring of Health-Care Delivery Methods
(e) Use in Statistics.
Role of Internet in Mental Health:
Today, the Internet links millions of computers all over the world.
Sites on the Internet cover virtually every medical topic; some are informative, some are educative, and some serve as a forum for discussion and research. One can also learn skills by doing different professional courses on internet.
Other Uses:
(a) Education:
Computer software is available to explain the working of the human body, to detail human anatomy, to display surface relations or sections of the body at various levels.
(b) Literature Searches:
Computerized databases are today the ideal resource for conducting literature searches through databases, such as Medline, Embase and Psyclit. Many leading journals and books are now online. Online subscription of journals save space of libraries and can be easily accessed saving time. Articles are also accepted for publication by online submission.
(c) Important Internet Sites for Medical:
Resources:
1. BMJ www(dot)bmj(dot)com:
Links to the British Medical Journal (BMJ), Student BMJ, Specialist Journals, Books, Conferences, British Medical Association (BMA).
2. Internet Mental Health mental- health(dot)com:
A one-stop source for authoritative information on mental illness.
3. The Lancet www(dot)thelancet(dot)com:
The famous international journal of medical science and practice is online. Features (searchable) full text articles (selective), editorial columns, case reports, news and more. Free online registration required.
4. Medscape www(dot) medscape(dot)com:
There’s also a news page, with the latest medical headlines; as well as the “Exam Room” — an interactive diagnostic challenge which evaluates user responses to the condition presented.
5. The National Institutes of Health www(dot)nih(dot)gov:
Recognized as one of the world’s foremost biomedical research centers, it provides range of invaluable sources of information for health professionals.
6. The New England Journal of Medicine www(dot)nejm(dot)org:
This weekly journal, reporting the results of important medical research worldwide, is provided by the Massachusetts Medical Society and has established a Web presence to provide full text of selected sections. Journals are available from January 1, 1996 to the present.
7. PubMed Medline www(dot)ncbi(dot)nim(dot)nih(dot)gov/Pubmed/:
PubMed Medline, developed by the National Library of Medicine, provides a free World Wide Web interface to MEDLINE, the world’s premier biomedical database. Dating from 1966, the MEDLINE database currently contains just under 9 million bibliographic citations drawn from around 3800 biomedical journals.
8. Ranbaxy for doctors www(dot)ranbaxy for doctors(dot)com:
Provides health professionals with a way of keeping up to date with crucial, relevant clinical information.
9. Reuters Health www (dot)reuters health(dot)com/:
A health and medical daily news service keeping health professionals abreast of health stories and scares.
10. World Health Organisation www(dot)who(dot)int/:
World Health Organisation details of WHO programmes.