Evolutionary Psychiatry

Riadh Abed is a retired Consultant Psychiatrist, Medical Director, and Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer at the University of Sheffield. He is currently working for the Mental Health Tribunal Service in England. He is a former (founding) Chair of the Evolutionary Psychiatry Special Interest Group at the Royal College of Psychiatrists and is currently its Finance Officer. He is also Secretary of the Section of Evolutionary Psychiatry at the World Psychiatric Association. He has been interested in the application of evolutionary theory to the understanding of mental disorder and has published novel evolutionary theories on eating disorders, OCD and schizophrenia. Paul St John-Smith is a retired Consultant Psychiatrist, who has worked as an in-patient and community consultant as well as in dual diagnosis in the NHS. He is currently Chair of the Evolutionary Psychiatry Special Interest Group at the Royal College of Psychiatrists. He has had interests in adult general psychiatry, psychopharmacology, evidence-based medicine, substance abuse and application of evolutionary theory to the understanding of mental disorder.

'This is a fascinating read on a topic that, although has relevance, is not well known or understood in the mental health world. The book is stimulating, authoritative, and entertaining in tone and has the ability to motivate debate and provide some answers to issues we all struggle with. It is difficult to put down.' Adrian James, President, Royal College of Psychiatrists, UK

• List of Contributors; Foreword; George Ikkos Preface; 1. Introduction to Evolutionary Psychiatry Riadh Abed, Paul St John-Smith; 2. The Biopsychosocial Model Advanced by Evolutionary Theory Adam Hunt, Paul St John-Smith and Riadh Abed; 3. Hominin Evolution I: The Origins of Homo sapiens Derek K. Tracy ; 4. Hominin Evolution II: Sapiens, Masters of the Known Universe Derek K. Tracy ; 5. Hunter-Gatherers, Mismatch and Mental Disorder Nikhil Chaudhary, Gul Deniz Salali; 6. Why Do Mental Disorders Persist? Evolutionary Foundations for Psychiatry Randolph M. Nesse; 7. Anxiety Disorders in Evolutionary Perspective Randolph M. Nesse; 8. Evolutionary Perspectives on Depression Markus J. Rantala, Severi Luoto; 9. On the Randomness of Suicide: An Evolutionary, Clinical Call to Transcend Suicide Risk Assessment C. A. Soper, Pablo Malo Ocejo, Matthew M. Large; 10. Evolutionary Perspectives on Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders Martin Brüne; 11. Evolutionary Perspectives on Eating Disorders Riadh Abed, Agnes Ayton; 12. Substance Abuse and Evolution Riadh Abed, Paul St John-Smith; 13. The Social Function of Alcohol from an Evolutionary Perspective Robin I. M. Dunbar; 14. Evolutionary Perspectives on Childhood Trauma Annie Swanepoel, Michael J. Reiss, John Launer, Graham Music, Bernadette Wren; 15. Evolutionary Perspectives on Neurodevelopmental Disorders Annie Swanepoel, Michael J. Reiss, John Launer, Graham Music, Bernadette Wren; 16. Maternal Negativity and Child Maltreatment: How Evolutionary Perspectives Contribute to a Layered and Compassionate Understanding Daniela F. Sieff; 17. Alzheimer's Disease as a Disease of Evolutionary Mismatch, with a Focus on Reproductive Life History Molly Fox; 18. Psychopharmacology and Evolution Paul St John-Smith, Riadh Abed, Martin Brüne; 19. What the Evolutionary and Cognitive Sciences Offer the Sciences of Crime and Justice Brian B. Boutwell, Megan Suprenant, Todd K. Shackelford; 20. Evolutionary Thinking and Clinical Care of Psychiatric Patients Alfonso Troisi.