Chapter 13.Biology of Positive Psychiatry

Although the field of neuroscience has historically focused on disease, impairment, disability, and the harmful effects of stress and trauma, the growing field of positive neuroscience focuses on studying what the brain does well. Positive neuroscience is a blend of positive psychology and neuroscience, and positive neuroscientists are interested in the neural mechanisms that serve to enrich a person’s life and potentially provide a buffering effect against negative psychological functioning (i.e., depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders). In this chapter, we focus on the neurobiology, as well as other biological mechanisms, that underpins several positive psychological traits. The commonalities among the brain regions involved in the various psychological traits are striking; for example, the anterior cingulate cortex is implicated in empathy, resilience, optimism, creativity, spirituality, wisdom, and social decision making. Similar commonalities are found among the genetic markers and among the blood and saliva markers involved in the various positive traits. To emphasize these commonalities, we have chosen to organize this chapter by biological mechanisms instead of by positive psychological traits. Specifically, we discuss the following three biological mechanisms: 1) the neurocircuitry of the positive psychological traits with the most empirical support, including empathy and compassion, resilience, optimism, and creativity; 2) the genetic bases of positive psychological traits; and 3) blood and saliva biomarkers associated with positive psychological traits.