Professional Documents
Culture Documents
EN - LP2 Bio-Psicho PDF
EN - LP2 Bio-Psicho PDF
1
Department of Stress Research & Prophylaxis, “Al. Obregia” Clinical Hospital of Psychiatry, Bucharest, Romania
2
Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Bucharest, Romania
3
“V. Goldis” Western University, Arad, Romania
Corresponding author: DAN RIGA, E-mail: D_S_Riga@yahoo.com
The concept is an universal manner of representation, and as idea it is the “witness” of reality. Treated
according to a theory of definition, concepts are formal/as ideas, objective/in the sense of objects,
hybrid/as structures and migratory/as dynamics. The concepts “substantiate” disciplinarity, and their
nature “rebuilds” ① Disciplinarity/unity into → ② MultiDisciplinarity/diversity → ③ Inter-
Disciplinarity/dynamics → until reaching ④ TransDisciplinarity/transcedence. The integrator of
“spaces” among the four levels of evolution-restructuring is information. The purpose of
transdisciplinarity is gnoseological/epistemological, heuristic and wholistic/integrative. Translational
research → medicine → science ensures the dynamics of progress and civilization (translational
continuum). The four TRANSCEND, USA programs of transdisciplinarity in medicine and
neurosciences have included as reference in their database two advanced studies of the Drs. Riga
team, published in 1994 and 2006. The human being and health/illness are “built into”
transdisciplinarity: the bio-psycho-social model/structure which works in intra-multi-inter-trans-
disciplinarity/causation. Chronologically and iatro-historically, the elaboration of the bio-psycho-
social transdisciplinary model was conducted in medicine and science by three outstanding figures:
Acad. Dr. Vladimir M. BEKHTEREV (1852–1927), Russia - precursor, Prof. Dr. Doc. Petre
BRÂNZEI (1916–1985), Romania - founder and Prof. Dr. George L. ENGEL (1913–1999), USA -
developer. The work objectively informs of the Romanian priority in the area through P. Brânzei, who
chronologically holds international priority with 7 (seven) and 3 (three) years before G. L. Engel,
USA, who only published his works beginning from 1977.
Disciplines-disciplinarity-areas, namely the The brain, man and life are transdisciplinarity,
process of knowledge (as dynamics) and knowledge biomedicine, neurosciences, anthropology and
(as finality) are “built-grounded” on characteristics- ecology are transdisciplinarity, the general
properties, ideas-concepts, hypotheses-demonstrations, systems theory, the GAIA concept and the bio-
processes-phenomena, thought-logic, abstractization- psycho-social model are transdisciplinarity3.
generalization, rules-laws. The nature of concepts Translational research → medicine (disciplinarity)
(formal, objective, hybrid and migratory) → science ensures an accelerated and multiple
“rebuilds” disciplinarity into multi→inter→ progress in bio-medicine, neurosciences and
trans→disciplinarity. psychology (health) – psychiatry (disorder).
The evolution of the binomial structure/ Translating progress is achieved by
substance ↔ function/energy from Disciplinarity translational continuum: basic science discovery
(unity) → MultiDisciplinarity (diversity) → Inter-
→ early translation → late translation →
Disciplinarity (dynamics) → to Trans-
dissemination (American Journal of Translational
Disciplinarity (transcendence) is the dynamics of
Research, Journal of Transnational Medicine, The
progress, science and civilization. The relation
Open Translational Medicine Journal, Science
integrator of/and the “spaces” of the four evolution
Translational Medicine, Clinical and Translational
levels (of complexity) is information (Fig. 1).
The purpose of transdisciplinarity is Science, Duke Translational Medicine Institute,
gnoseological/epistemological (theory of knowledge), Society for Clinical and Translational Science).
heuristic (discovery of new knowledge) and In the current and global stages of sciences, the
holistic/integrative (the synthesis and unity of progress of knowledge enforces and is achieved
knowledge). through transdisciplinarity. New proof of this fact
Transdisciplinarity defining results from three is the TRANSCEND Research Program - Institute:
simultaneous postulates (fundamentals truths): Treatment Research And NeuroSCience Evaluation
levels of reality, the logic of the included third and of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (TRANSCEND
complexity, which also determines the transdis- is an acronym and highlights the transdisciplinary
ciplinary research6. research in neurosciences).
The TRANSCEND scientific resources In contemporary times, on the other hand, the
(www.TranscendResearch.org, USA) are ensured 1946 WHO definition of health (UK) / Gesundheit
by a consortium comprised of: (DE) / santé (FR) / salud (ES) / saúde (PT) / salute
• Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; (IT) / sănătate (RO) is a state of complete physical,
• Massachusetts General Hospital; mental and social well-being, and not merely the
• Center for Morphometric Analysis;
absence of disease or infirmity. Sanogenesis
• Martions Center for Biomedical Imaging.
(cause/dynamics/process) resulting in health
TRANSCEND - a multimodal multisystem brain
(effect-consequence-finality/state) must become
research program (2009-2015) comprises:
c A Whole Body Approach to Brain Health; trivalent, in a positive direction (+): physical,
d Glial Cells - ”The Other Brain” that the somatic, biological health + mental, psychic health
Neurons can’t live without; + behavioral, social health14. In the same fashion,
e Autism Research; pathogenesis (cause/ process) → illness,
f Autism Revolution. pathology, morbidity (effect/result) is also trivalent
The four American programs of integrated but in a negative direction (–)13.
research into neurosciences and translational The transdiciplinary perspective in defining,
medicine have included as basic references in their characterizing, analysis and elaboration of
research database two advanced studies from solutions in the antagonistic health ↔ illness
Romania – the Drs. Riga team, published in 1994
binomial is the dynamic essence of scientific
in Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics10 and in
progress in bio-medicine9.
2006 in Annals of the New York Academy of
Science12. The progress made by global medicine in the
past 150 years have brought about the need to
approach health and illness in transdisciplinarity,
HEALTH AND ILLNESS IN as two antagonistic, opposed, polarized systems of
TRANSDISCIPLINARITY the human being. Bearing in mind the practical,
palpable, applicative needs, the trivalent bio-
In Antiquity, oriental (Chinese, Indian, psycho-social model has been created and
Persian) and European (Greek, Roman) medicine enforced: in diagnostic and therapy, as
were built in a binomial manner of thinking (mind- preventative4 and curative2 medicine, for public
body), which acts in society via the mind-body-
health strategies15 and programs20, 21 (Fig. 2).
society trinomial. The mind ↔ body interrelation is
revealed in a sanogenetic synergy through the The bio-psycho-social model reveals its
ancient adage: Mens sana in corpore sano, Satyrae structural (space, static) and functional (time, dy-
X (Book IV, Satyrae X, Line 356 - 10.356), namics) dimensions through intra-/ multi-/ inter-/
Decimus Iunius Iuvenalis (c60 A.D. - c135 A.D.), and trans-causality and determinism (Fig. 3).
Roman poet.
Figure 2. The human being and health/illness “built” into a bio-psycho-social trivalent system.
204 Riga Sorin et al.
©
© S.&D. Riga, 2014
Figure 3. The construction of intra-, multi-, inter- and trans-causality in transdisciplinary phenomenology (logic).
The paternity of the bio-psycho-social model is • 1974 – Brânzei, P., Quelques considérations
attributed to the Russian scientist by another study, sur la signification d'un concept tridimen-
published two years before, in 2005: However, by sionnel dans le développment de la
the beginning of the twentieth century V. M. psychiatrie contemporaine, Annales Médico-
Bekhterev (1857–1927) had already created a Psychologiques (Paris), vol. 1(3) din 1974,
concept of the study of an ill person and a well pp. 341–355, 1974;
person, which Bekhterev called the “study of • 1981 – Brânzei, P., Natansohn, I., Le
human nature”. The objective psychology and, constructivisme tridimensionnel bio-
subsequently, reflexology developed by Bekhterev psycho-sociale de l'école de Socola dans la
provided the basis of the concept - and promoted perspective de la psychiatrie contemporaine,
the forming – of a biopsychosocial model of Acta Psychiatrica Belgica, vol. 81, pp. 425–
understanding of humans5. 436, 1981; and
• 1985 – Brânzei, P., Chiriţă, V., Boişteanu, P.,
Le constructivisme tridimensionnel bio-
Prof. Dr. Doc. Petre BRÂNZEI psycho-sociale dans l'abord des conduites
aberrantes, Archives de l'Union Médicale
An eminent scientist and man of culture, Balkanique, vol. 23, pp. 88–89, 1985.
teacher, doctor and public health organizer, a Also, the concept is defined in Romanian
prominent figure in bio-medicine, a WHO/OMS monographs and journals:
expert on mental health, Petre BRÂNZEI • 1975 – Brânzei, P., Itinerar psihiatric
established the Modern School of Psychiatry in [Psychiatric Itinerary], 372 pp., Ed.
Socola - Iaşi, thus attaining a broad European Junimea, Iaşi, RO, 1975, published in
openness. He registered Romanian scientific firsts
Romanian, but with an ample abstract in 6
in world psychiatry: the bio-psycho-social model
(six) languages: Romanian, French, English,
and the ASFA neurometabolic nootrope23.
German, Russian, Italian, three of these
A paver of ways in neuroscience, he elaborates
languages being international ones.
as of 1968 an original, integrative-dynamic
The book Itinerar psihiatric defines and
concept of human personality and ethiopathogeny
for psychic disorders, of the biological interference develops the concept in the third part: Relaţia bio-
with the psychological and social, in a triple psiho-socială în terapia psihiatrică [The bio-
determinism – the bio-psycho-social concept16. psycho-social relation in psychiatric therapy]
He is the first to publish the concept in (pp. 277–354) and in the sub-chapter: Semnificaţia
European international journals written in French: unui concept tridimensional în terapeutica
• 1970 – Brânzei, P., L'actualité nosologique psihiatrică [The meaning of a tridimensional
dans la psychiatrie contemporaine. Critères concept in psychiatric therapeutics] (pp. 346–354):
pour une classification dynamique bio- – Through the tridimensional concept we can
psycho-sociale en psychiatrie, Annales thus deduce in a vectorial manner the perspectives
Médico-Psychologiques (Paris), vol. 1(4) din of an ecological-epidemiological psychiatric
1970, pp. 504–520, 1970; outlook structured on criteria which are nosologic,
206 Riga Sorin et al.
psychological and sociological at the same time, in view of protecting and promoting the mental
necessarily attuned to the programmatic politics of health of the population through its own
WHO regarding the safeguard of physical, mental educational elevation regarding the medicine of
and social health (p. 351); the healthy man, a theory which from our
– In conclusion, although mental health is not constructivist perspective is not identical to the
only a psychiatric reflection, it nonetheless lagging option on preventative medicine of the bio-
primarily refers to the tendencies and the actions medical system (p. 141);
characteristic of the social side of a clinical – With this interdisciplinary aim in mind,
tridimensional psychiatry, the contents of which between 1968 and 1970, a special space which was
constitute the key stone of the public health policy, named as such “The bio-psycho-social complex”
psychic disorders expressing the focused was built within the “Socola” Hospital, a space
concentration on the morbidity factors in general which – in fact – conferred new dimensions to the
(p. 354); complex activity of the “Socola” School. Also,
– The psychiatric itinerary holds as a managing under the aegis of the “Socola” school, the
plan an original bio-psycho-social concept, “Psycho-Social Service” was established in 1969,
dynamic and unitary at the same time, on psychic a psychiatric extra-hospital institution hiring
processes in normal and pathological conditions specialists from various scientific areas and which
(p. 355). elaborated, as a team, ample studies among the
• 1982 – Brânzei, P., Natansohn, I. N., Construc- adult and young populations, activities recognized
tivismul tridimensional bio-psiho-social al by specialists and scientific bodies in Europe and
şcolii de la „Socola” în perspectiva psihiatriei America (pp. 141–142).
contemporane [Tridimensional bio-psycho- The bio-psycho-social psychiatry – created,
social constructiveness of “Socola” school in developed and applied by the “Socola” School of
the perspective of contemporary psychiatry], Psychiatry – Iaşi, including as a pilot EURO-
Neurologia, Psihiatria, Neuro-chirurgia, vol. WHO-Romania Base – was appreciated over time
27, nr. 2, pp. 137–144, 1982 – with an by reputed European specialists (from the UK,
abstract in 4 (four) languages: English, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy,
French, German, Russian. Norway, the Netherlands) and by Americans (from
The work chronologically and gnoseologically the US).
show the theoretic and practical priority of the bio-
psycho-social concept-model-constructivism-
psychiatry achieved by Petre BRÂNZEI (1968– Prof. Dr. George Libman ENGEL
1985):
– Many times, constructivism is associated with For the first time, American psychiatrist
structuralism, bearing in mind that structuralism is G. L. ENGEL published his bio-psycho-social
also familiar with various orientations and trends. model in journals such as Science, 1977 and
In reality, this belief is false, owing to the fact that General Hospital Psychiatry, 1979, (23):
both constructivism and structuralism have grown • 1977 – Engel, G. L., The need for a new
as a result of the triumph of the systemic approach medical model: a challenge for biomedicine,
in the development of science. In this respect, Science, vol. 196, no. 4286, pp. 129–136,
George L. Engel is right when claiming that the 1977;
enforcement of the bio-psycho-social model • 1979 – Engel, G. L., The biopsychosocial
instead of the bio-medical one is based on the model and the education of health
systemic approach, its origins appearing in the professionals, General Hospital Psychiatry,
works of Paul Weis and Ludwig von Bertalanffy, vol. 1, pp. 156–165, 1979;
without however achieving identity with our • 1980 – Engel, G. L., The clinical application
simultaneously tridimensional, dynamic, of the biopsychosocial model, American
constructivist and in the same time unitary concept Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 137, no. 5,
(p. 140); pp. 535–544, 1980;
– As of this new qualitative moment in the • 1981 – Engel, G. L., The clinical application
interpretation of psychiatry, we moreover estimate of the biopsychosocial model, Journal
on a sociological level “the double concomitant of Medicine and Philosophy, vol. 6, no. 2,
opening” between psychiatric services and society, pp. 101–123, 1981;
Transdisciplinarity in Bio-Medicine 207
http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/hslt/miner 11. Riga D., Riga S., Hălălău F., Schneider F., Neurono-glial
mechanisms in brain protection, aging deceleration and
/historical_services/archives/Faculty/Pape neuro-psycho-longevity, pp. 223-236. In R. Klatz, R.
rsofGeorgeLibmanEngel.cfm. Retrieved Goldman (Eds.), Anti-Aging Therapeutics, Vol. 8,
on 03.07.2008. American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, Chicago, IL.
2006.
The formal, but de facto loss by P. Brânzei,
12. Riga S., Riga D., Schneider F., Hălălău F., Processing,
Romania of the paternity of his work was favored lysis and elimination of brain lipopigments in rejuvenation
by the advantages of G. L. Engel, USA: therapies, pp. 383-387. In: S. Rattan, P. Kristensen, B. F.
– he published in American English written C. Clark (Eds.), Understanding and Modulating Aging,
journals (a different impact); (Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, Vol.
1067), New York Academy of Sciences, New York, NY,
– Engel lived for 86 years/as opposed to the 69 2006.
years of Brânzei, and died 14 years later/compared 13. Riga D., Riga S., Anti-Aging Medicine and Longevity
to Brânzei; Sciences (Romanian lang.), Cartea Universitara Publ.,
– Engel benefited and is still benefiting from a Bucharest, RO., 2007.
14. Riga S., Riga D., Stressology, Adaptology and Mental
multiple and permanent cultural marketing system
Health (Romanian lang.), Cartea Universitara Publ.,
for promoting his medical and scientific work, Bucharest, RO., 2008.
while Brânzei has almost been forgotten by his 15. Riga D., Riga S., Moş L., Motoc D., Schneider F., Pro-
own country. longevity life styles. Importance of physical activity and
sport, Palestrica of the 3rd Millennium - Civilization and
Sport, 10: 138-144, 2009.
16. Riga D., Riga S., Restituţia Petre Brânzei - fondatorul
REFERENCES conceptului bio-psiho-social, pp. 123-154. In: G. Cornuţiu
(Ed.), Orientări şi perspective în gândirea psihiatrică
1. Akimenko M. A., Vladimir Mikhailovich Bekhterev, românească actuală, Ed. Universităţii din Oradea, Oradea,
Journal of the History of the Neuro- sciences, 16(1–2): RO, 2009.
100–109, 2007. 17. Riga S., Riga D., Mihăilescu A., Motoc D., Moş L,
2. Fahy G. M., West M. D, Coles L. S., Harris S. B. (Eds.), Schneider F., Longevity health sciences and mental health
The Future of Aging. Pathways to Human Life Extension, as future medicine, pp. 184-187. In: R. M. Tanguay (Ed.),
Springer, Dordrecht, NL, 2010. Aging, Cancer, and Age-Related Diseases. Common
3. Hirsch Hadoorn G., Hoffmann-Riem H., Biber-Klemm S., Mechanisms? (Ann. New York Acad. Sci., vol. 1197),
Grossenbacher-Mansuy W., Joye D., Pohl C., Wiesmann Wiley-Blackwell-New York Academy of Sciences,
U., Zemp E. (Eds.), Handbook of Transdisciplinarity Boston, MA, 2010.
Research, Springer, 2008. 18. Riga D., Riga S., Construcţia sănătăţii şi medicina omului
4. Mateescu R., Bazele fiziologice ale gerontoprofilaxiei, Ed. sănătos, Revista Medicală Română, 57(4): 223-229, 2010.
Helicon, Timişoara, RO, 1996. 19. Riga D., Riga S., Medicina stresului - necesitate a
5. Neznanov N. G., Akimenko, M. A., Development of a prezentului, Cap. 6, pp. 141-174. In: J. Vincze (Ed.),
biopsychosocial concept of disease at the V. M. Bekhterev Biofizica Medicală (Biofizica, Vol. 38), Editura NDP,
Institute in the twentieth century, International Journal of Budapesta, HU, 2011.
Mental Health, 34(4): 4-10, 2005. 20. Riga D., Riga S., The Science of Ageing - Global
6. Nicolescu B. (Ed.), Transdisciplinarity - Theory and Progress, Rejuvenation Research, 14(5): 573-577, 2011.
Practice, Hampton Press, Cresskill, NJ, 2008. 21. Riga D., Riga S., Motoc D., Geacăr S., Ionescu T., Health-
7. Northoff G., Philosophy of the Brain, J. Benjamins Publ., longevity medicine in the global world, Ch. 17, pp. 347-
Amsterdam, NL, 2004. 366. In: J. Maddock (Ed.), Public Health - Methodology,
8. 8. Riga S., Riga D., The methodology of time research in Environ-mental and System Issues, InTech - Open Access
biology, 5th International Congress of Logic, Publ., Rijeka, Croaţia and Shanghai, China, 2012.
Methodology and Philosophy of Science, London 22. Riga S., Riga D., Motoc D., Geacăr S., Ionescu T.,
(Ontario), Canada, Aug. 27 - Sep. 2, 1975, Volume of Medicina sănătăţii-longevităţii - fundament în sănătatea
Proceedings, Section VIII: Foundations of Biology, pp. mintală, pp. 7-24, 25-75. In: G. Cornuţiu, D. Marinescu
31-32, 1975. (Eds.), Orientări şi perspective în gândirea psihiatrică
9. Riga D., Riga S., Mărirea vitalităţii creierului, factor în românească actuală, Ed. Universităţii din Oradea, Oradea,
promovarea stării de sănătate mintală. Buletinul RO, 2013.
Academiei de Ştiinţe Medicale, 3: 421-431, 1979. 23. Riga S., Riga D., Repere în cercetarea ştiinţifică
10. Riga D., Riga S., Antagonic-Stress®: a therapeutic psihiatrică românească, pp. 356-427. In: G. Cornuţiu
composition for deceleration of aging. II. Brain (Ed.), Capitole de istorie a psihiatriei româneşti, Ed.
lipofuscinolytic activity demonstrated by electron Universităţii din Oradea, Oradea, RO, 2013.
microscopy, Archives of Geronto-logy and Geriatrics, 24. Weitz M., Theories of Concepts: A History of the Major
19(S 1): 227-234, 1994. Philosophical Tradition, Routledge, London, UK, 1988.