BBH 432 Final Exam Questions and
Complete Solutions
Why are models important in the study of disease? ✅models are representations of
how you believe a system works; your model of how a disease is created greatly
influences which treatments you will select
Descartes ✅*mind-body dualism*: the mind and body are separate, & in order to
reduce disease, you must focus on rational observation of the sciences
*reductionism*: there is a single, fundamental, material level of reality; complex
machines are simply combinations of simpler machines
*the ghost in the machine*: the mind is a non-tangible life force, but with this belief,
there is no way to explain how psychological states could affect physiology
Virchow ✅*cellular theory of disease*: disease is the result of abnormalities in body
cells (microscope allowed this model to be invented)
Pasteur ✅*germ theory*: disease is caused by viruses, bacteria, & other
microorganisms that cause cellular malfunction
Bernard ✅"the father of physiology"
Dissected living animals in front of students to help them understand physiology
Argued against vitalism in his book "an introduction to the study of experimental
medicine"
Vitalism ✅a belief that because the human body had an "invisible life force", it could
not be objectively studied
Believed that physical factors did not affect the life force, therefore, you could not use
physics or chemistry to study the human body
Bernard's argument against vitalism ✅steam engines are not purposive beings, but
without information on how they work, you would not know that
It is possible to understand the physical laws that influences its movements through
scientific testing (living beings obey the laws of physics, its just hard to observe)
, Bernard's work with single-celled organisms and argument against vitalism ✅single-
celled organisms are dependent upon a supportive environment; if moisture, ph, or
temp changes, it cannot survive
This means that variables determine whether or not the "life force" is present in these
cells... & the human body is the same
This means that the life force is a myth, and humans are not different than steam
engines... Cells & organs work together to form a stable internal milieu
Why is it important that Bernard called his book "an intro to the study of
EXPERIMENTAL medicine"?
What was his perspective of the study of the biological basis of disease? ✅Bernard
was the first to come up with the idea of 'experimental' medicine; he wanted to convey
the idea that humans should be subject to scientific testing, just like machines
He did not know about all the specific nerves and hormones responsible, but he
contributed to the general idea that the body must maintain internal stability in the face
of a challenging environment
The biomedical model (original) ✅specific germ, injury ---->
Specific change in physiology ---->
Specific disease or syndrome
Assumptions of the original biomedical model ✅*one way causation*: germ alters the
body, but the body does not alter the germ
*disease is a physiological process*: it operates on that level only, its just a monkey
wrench in the clockworks of the body
Does not take into account *resistance to disease* or *non-response to treatment*
*model is dualistic*: mind and body are totally separate spheres, the mind is just "a
ghost in the machine" with no effect on the body
Cannot account for *placebo/nocebo* effects
Why is "ghost in the machine" relevant to the biomedical model? ✅both ideas imply
that the mind & body are separate entities with no influence on each other
Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome ✅enlarged adrenal glands
Shrunken lymph nodes
Complete Solutions
Why are models important in the study of disease? ✅models are representations of
how you believe a system works; your model of how a disease is created greatly
influences which treatments you will select
Descartes ✅*mind-body dualism*: the mind and body are separate, & in order to
reduce disease, you must focus on rational observation of the sciences
*reductionism*: there is a single, fundamental, material level of reality; complex
machines are simply combinations of simpler machines
*the ghost in the machine*: the mind is a non-tangible life force, but with this belief,
there is no way to explain how psychological states could affect physiology
Virchow ✅*cellular theory of disease*: disease is the result of abnormalities in body
cells (microscope allowed this model to be invented)
Pasteur ✅*germ theory*: disease is caused by viruses, bacteria, & other
microorganisms that cause cellular malfunction
Bernard ✅"the father of physiology"
Dissected living animals in front of students to help them understand physiology
Argued against vitalism in his book "an introduction to the study of experimental
medicine"
Vitalism ✅a belief that because the human body had an "invisible life force", it could
not be objectively studied
Believed that physical factors did not affect the life force, therefore, you could not use
physics or chemistry to study the human body
Bernard's argument against vitalism ✅steam engines are not purposive beings, but
without information on how they work, you would not know that
It is possible to understand the physical laws that influences its movements through
scientific testing (living beings obey the laws of physics, its just hard to observe)
, Bernard's work with single-celled organisms and argument against vitalism ✅single-
celled organisms are dependent upon a supportive environment; if moisture, ph, or
temp changes, it cannot survive
This means that variables determine whether or not the "life force" is present in these
cells... & the human body is the same
This means that the life force is a myth, and humans are not different than steam
engines... Cells & organs work together to form a stable internal milieu
Why is it important that Bernard called his book "an intro to the study of
EXPERIMENTAL medicine"?
What was his perspective of the study of the biological basis of disease? ✅Bernard
was the first to come up with the idea of 'experimental' medicine; he wanted to convey
the idea that humans should be subject to scientific testing, just like machines
He did not know about all the specific nerves and hormones responsible, but he
contributed to the general idea that the body must maintain internal stability in the face
of a challenging environment
The biomedical model (original) ✅specific germ, injury ---->
Specific change in physiology ---->
Specific disease or syndrome
Assumptions of the original biomedical model ✅*one way causation*: germ alters the
body, but the body does not alter the germ
*disease is a physiological process*: it operates on that level only, its just a monkey
wrench in the clockworks of the body
Does not take into account *resistance to disease* or *non-response to treatment*
*model is dualistic*: mind and body are totally separate spheres, the mind is just "a
ghost in the machine" with no effect on the body
Cannot account for *placebo/nocebo* effects
Why is "ghost in the machine" relevant to the biomedical model? ✅both ideas imply
that the mind & body are separate entities with no influence on each other
Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome ✅enlarged adrenal glands
Shrunken lymph nodes
