4.5: Genetic explanations

Question 1

Researchers analysed the behaviour of over 4000 pairs of twins.
The results showed that the degree to which obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is inherited is between 45% and 65%.

With reference to the study described above, what do the results seem to show about possible influences on the development of OCD? (4 marks)

Answer 1

The results indicate that the development of OCD is at least partly genetic

Question 2

Researchers analysed the behaviour of over 4000 pairs of twins.
The results showed that the degree to which obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is inherited is between 45% and 65%.

With reference to the study described above, what do the results seem to show about possible influences on the development of OCD? (4 marks).
The results indicate that the development of OCD is at least partly genetic.
What do the findings suggest?

Answer 2

The findings suggest that heritability is high

Question 3

Researchers analysed the behaviour of over 4000 pairs of twins.
The results showed that the degree to which obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is inherited is between 45% and 65%.

With reference to the study described above, what do the results seem to show about possible influences on the development of OCD? (4 marks).
The results indicate that the development of OCD is at least partly genetic.
The findings suggest that heritability is high (between what?)

Answer 3

The findings suggest that heritability is high (between 45% and 65%)

Question 4

Researchers analysed the behaviour of over 4000 pairs of twins.
The results showed that the degree to which obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is inherited is between 45% and 65%.

With reference to the study described above, what do the results seem to show about possible influences on the development of OCD? (4 marks).
The results indicate that the development of OCD is at least partly genetic.
The findings suggest that heritability is high (between 45% and 65%).
What does this mean?

Answer 4

This means that there must also be other explanations

Question 5

Researchers analysed the behaviour of over 4000 pairs of twins.
The results showed that the degree to which obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is inherited is between 45% and 65%.

With reference to the study described above, what do the results seem to show about possible influences on the development of OCD? (4 marks).
The results indicate that the development of OCD is at least partly genetic.
The findings suggest that heritability is high (between 45% and 65%).
This means that there must also be other explanations, why?

Answer 5

This means that there must also be other explanations, because the inherited influence is not 100%

Question 6

Researchers analysed the behaviour of over 4000 pairs of twins.
The results showed that the degree to which obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is inherited is between 45% and 65%.

With reference to the study described above, what do the results seem to show about possible influences on the development of OCD? (4 marks).
The results indicate that the development of OCD is at least partly genetic.
The findings suggest that heritability is high (between 45% and 65%).
This means that there must also be other explanations, because the inherited influence is not 100%, so what?

Answer 6

This means that there must also be other explanations, because the inherited influence is not 100%, so other factors may also partly account for OCD

Question 7

Researchers analysed the behaviour of over 4000 pairs of twins.
The results showed that the degree to which obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is inherited is between 45% and 65%.

With reference to the study described above, what do the results seem to show about possible influences on the development of OCD? (4 marks).
The results indicate that the development of OCD is at least partly genetic.
The findings suggest that heritability is high (between 45% and 65%).
This means that there must also be other explanations, because the inherited influence is not 100%, so other factors, for example what, may also partly account for OCD?

Answer 7

This means that there must also be other explanations, because the inherited influence is not 100%, so other factors, for example the environment or other biological factors, may also partly account for OCD

Question 8

Bob always checks that doors are locked and plug sockets are switched off. His checking routine has become very time consuming. He now feels overwhelmed with fears that his family could be in danger if he does not complete his checking routine. His doctor thinks Bob has obsessive compulsive disorder.

Bob’s doctor is sending him for a brain scan and is looking into his family history.
How might the biological approach be used to explain Bob’s obsessive-compulsive disorder? (4 marks)

Answer 8

Bob is having a scan, which could be explained by neural explanations

Question 9

Bob always checks that doors are locked and plug sockets are switched off. His checking routine has become very time consuming. He now feels overwhelmed with fears that his family could be in danger if he does not complete his checking routine. His doctor thinks Bob has obsessive compulsive disorder.

Bob’s doctor is sending him for a brain scan and is looking into his family history.
How might the biological approach be used to explain Bob’s obsessive-compulsive disorder? (4 marks).
Bob is having a scan, which could be explained by neural explanations.
What have been implicated?

Answer 9

The basal ganglia and other circuits have been implicated

Question 10

Bob always checks that doors are locked and plug sockets are switched off. His checking routine has become very time consuming. He now feels overwhelmed with fears that his family could be in danger if he does not complete his checking routine. His doctor thinks Bob has obsessive compulsive disorder.

Bob’s doctor is sending him for a brain scan and is looking into his family history.
How might the biological approach be used to explain Bob’s obsessive-compulsive disorder? (4 marks).
Bob is having a scan, which could be explained by neural explanations.
The basal ganglia and other circuits have been implicated, suggesting what?

Answer 10

The basal ganglia and other circuits have been implicated, suggesting that disturbed communication in these structures might account for the repetitive behaviours seen in Bob’s OCD

Question 11

Bob always checks that doors are locked and plug sockets are switched off. His checking routine has become very time consuming. He now feels overwhelmed with fears that his family could be in danger if he does not complete his checking routine. His doctor thinks Bob has obsessive compulsive disorder.

Bob’s doctor is sending him for a brain scan and is looking into his family history.
How might the biological approach be used to explain Bob’s obsessive-compulsive disorder? (4 marks).
Bob is having a scan, which could be explained by neural explanations.
The basal ganglia and other circuits have been implicated, suggesting that disturbed communication in these structures might account for the repetitive behaviours seen in Bob’s OCD.
What could there also be?

Answer 11

There could also be low levels of neurotransmitters

Question 12

Bob always checks that doors are locked and plug sockets are switched off. His checking routine has become very time consuming. He now feels overwhelmed with fears that his family could be in danger if he does not complete his checking routine. His doctor thinks Bob has obsessive compulsive disorder.

Bob’s doctor is sending him for a brain scan and is looking into his family history.
How might the biological approach be used to explain Bob’s obsessive-compulsive disorder? (4 marks).
Bob is having a scan, which could be explained by neural explanations.
The basal ganglia and other circuits have been implicated, suggesting that disturbed communication in these structures might account for the repetitive behaviours seen in Bob’s OCD.
There could also be low levels of neurotransmitters, for example what?

Answer 12

There could also be low levels of neurotransmitters, for example serotonin

Question 13

Bob always checks that doors are locked and plug sockets are switched off. His checking routine has become very time consuming. He now feels overwhelmed with fears that his family could be in danger if he does not complete his checking routine. His doctor thinks Bob has obsessive compulsive disorder.

Bob’s doctor is sending him for a brain scan and is looking into his family history.
How might the biological approach be used to explain Bob’s obsessive-compulsive disorder? (4 marks).
Bob is having a scan, which could be explained by neural explanations.
The basal ganglia and other circuits have been implicated, suggesting that disturbed communication in these structures might account for the repetitive behaviours seen in Bob’s OCD.
There could also be low levels of neurotransmitters, for example serotonin - what?

Answer 13

There could also be low levels of neurotransmitters, for example serotonin - serotonin might be removed too quickly before impulses have passed

Question 14

Bob always checks that doors are locked and plug sockets are switched off. His checking routine has become very time consuming. He now feels overwhelmed with fears that his family could be in danger if he does not complete his checking routine. His doctor thinks Bob has obsessive compulsive disorder.

Bob’s doctor is sending him for a brain scan and is looking into his family history.
How might the biological approach be used to explain Bob’s obsessive-compulsive disorder? (4 marks).
Bob is having a scan, which could be explained by neural explanations.
The basal ganglia and other circuits have been implicated, suggesting that disturbed communication in these structures might account for the repetitive behaviours seen in Bob’s OCD.
There could also be low levels of neurotransmitters, for example serotonin - serotonin might be removed too quickly before impulses have passed.

What is Bob having looked into?

Answer 14

Bob is having his family history looked into

Question 15

Bob always checks that doors are locked and plug sockets are switched off. His checking routine has become very time consuming. He now feels overwhelmed with fears that his family could be in danger if he does not complete his checking routine. His doctor thinks Bob has obsessive compulsive disorder.

Bob’s doctor is sending him for a brain scan and is looking into his family history.
How might the biological approach be used to explain Bob’s obsessive-compulsive disorder? (4 marks).
Bob is having a scan, which could be explained by neural explanations.
The basal ganglia and other circuits have been implicated, suggesting that disturbed communication in these structures might account for the repetitive behaviours seen in Bob’s OCD.
There could also be low levels of neurotransmitters, for example serotonin - serotonin might be removed too quickly before impulses have passed.

Bob is having his family history looked into, which could be explained by what?

Answer 15

Bob is having his family history looked into, which could be explained by genetic explanations

Question 16

Bob always checks that doors are locked and plug sockets are switched off. His checking routine has become very time consuming. He now feels overwhelmed with fears that his family could be in danger if he does not complete his checking routine. His doctor thinks Bob has obsessive compulsive disorder.

Bob’s doctor is sending him for a brain scan and is looking into his family history.
How might the biological approach be used to explain Bob’s obsessive-compulsive disorder? (4 marks).
Bob is having a scan, which could be explained by neural explanations.
The basal ganglia and other circuits have been implicated, suggesting that disturbed communication in these structures might account for the repetitive behaviours seen in Bob’s OCD.
There could also be low levels of neurotransmitters, for example serotonin - serotonin might be removed too quickly before impulses have passed.

Bob is having his family history looked into, which could be explained by genetic explanations.
What could there be a focus on?

Answer 16

There could be a focus on the search for gene markers that Bob might have inherited

Question 17

Bob always checks that doors are locked and plug sockets are switched off. His checking routine has become very time consuming. He now feels overwhelmed with fears that his family could be in danger if he does not complete his checking routine. His doctor thinks Bob has obsessive compulsive disorder.

Bob’s doctor is sending him for a brain scan and is looking into his family history.
How might the biological approach be used to explain Bob’s obsessive-compulsive disorder? (4 marks).
Bob is having a scan, which could be explained by neural explanations.
The basal ganglia and other circuits have been implicated, suggesting that disturbed communication in these structures might account for the repetitive behaviours seen in Bob’s OCD.
There could also be low levels of neurotransmitters, for example serotonin - serotonin might be removed too quickly before impulses have passed.

Bob is having his family history looked into, which could be explained by genetic explanations.
There could be a focus on the search for gene markers that Bob might have inherited, such as what?

Answer 17

There could be a focus on the search for gene markers that Bob might have inherited, such as:
1. Gene 9
2. COMT
Or,
3. SERT

Question 18

Bob always checks that doors are locked and plug sockets are switched off. His checking routine has become very time consuming. He now feels overwhelmed with fears that his family could be in danger if he does not complete his checking routine. His doctor thinks Bob has obsessive compulsive disorder.

Bob’s doctor is sending him for a brain scan and is looking into his family history.
How might the biological approach be used to explain Bob’s obsessive-compulsive disorder? (4 marks).
Bob is having a scan, which could be explained by neural explanations.
The basal ganglia and other circuits have been implicated, suggesting that disturbed communication in these structures might account for the repetitive behaviours seen in Bob’s OCD.
There could also be low levels of neurotransmitters, for example serotonin - serotonin might be removed too quickly before impulses have passed.

Bob is having his family history looked into, which could be explained by genetic explanations.
There could be a focus on the search for gene markers that Bob might have inherited, such as gene 9, COMT or SERT.
What do family studies also indicate?

Answer 18

Family studies also indicate that if first degree relatives have this disorder, then the prevalence rate is 10%

Question 19

Bob always checks that doors are locked and plug sockets are switched off. His checking routine has become very time consuming. He now feels overwhelmed with fears that his family could be in danger if he does not complete his checking routine. His doctor thinks Bob has obsessive compulsive disorder.

Bob’s doctor is sending him for a brain scan and is looking into his family history.
How might the biological approach be used to explain Bob’s obsessive-compulsive disorder? (4 marks).
Bob is having a scan, which could be explained by neural explanations.
The basal ganglia and other circuits have been implicated, suggesting that disturbed communication in these structures might account for the repetitive behaviours seen in Bob’s OCD.
There could also be low levels of neurotransmitters, for example serotonin - serotonin might be removed too quickly before impulses have passed.

Bob is having his family history looked into, which could be explained by genetic explanations.
There could be a focus on the search for gene markers that Bob might have inherited, such as gene 9, COMT or SERT.
Family studies also indicate that if first degree relatives, like what, have this disorder, then the prevalence rate is 10%?

Answer 19

Family studies also indicate that if first degree relatives, like Bob’s parents, have this disorder, then the prevalence rate is 10%

Question 20

Bob always checks that doors are locked and plug sockets are switched off. His checking routine has become very time consuming. He now feels overwhelmed with fears that his family could be in danger if he does not complete his checking routine. His doctor thinks Bob has obsessive compulsive disorder.

Bob’s doctor is sending him for a brain scan and is looking into his family history.
How might the biological approach be used to explain Bob’s obsessive-compulsive disorder? (4 marks).
Bob is having a scan, which could be explained by neural explanations.
The basal ganglia and other circuits have been implicated, suggesting that disturbed communication in these structures might account for the repetitive behaviours seen in Bob’s OCD.
There could also be low levels of neurotransmitters, for example serotonin - serotonin might be removed too quickly before impulses have passed.

Bob is having his family history looked into, which could be explained by genetic explanations.
There could be a focus on the search for gene markers that Bob might have inherited, such as gene 9, COMT or SERT.
Family studies also indicate that if first degree relatives, like Bob’s parents, have this disorder, then the prevalence rate is 10%, compared to what?

Answer 20

Family studies also indicate that if first degree relatives, like Bob’s parents, have this disorder, then the prevalence rate is 10%, compared to the prevalence rate of 2%