biological approach to explaining OCD

Question 1

one form of biological explanation

Answer 1

genetic explanation

Question 2

what are genes involved in

Answer 2

individual vulnerability to OCD

Question 3

Lewis

Answer 3

• observed that of his patients:
37% had parents with OCD
21% had siblings with OCD
suggest OCD runs in the family

Question 4

diathesis-stress model

Answer 4

certain genes leave some people more likely to develop a mental disorder

Question 5

what is necessary to trigger the condition?

Answer 5

environmental stress

Question 6

candidate genes

Answer 6

genes with create vulnerability for OCD

Question 7

what are some candidate genes involved in?

Answer 7

development of serotonin system
e.g. gene 5HT1-D beta is implicated in the transport of serotonin across synapses

Question 8

what does it mean that OCD is polygenic?

Answer 8

OCD is not caused by one single gene but a combination of genetic variations that t significantly increase vulnerability

Question 9

Taylor

Answer 9

• analysed findings of studies that found evidence that up to 230 different genes may be involved in OCD

Question 10

genes studied in relation to OCD

Answer 10

those associated with action of dopamine as well as serotonin
both neurotransmitters believed to have a role in regulating mood

Question 11

aetiologically heterogeneous

Answer 11

origins of OCD vary from one person to another
evidence that different types of OCD may be the result of particular genetic variations

Question 12

neural explanations

Answer 12

genes associated with OCD that affect the levels of key neurotransmitters as well as structures of the brain

Question 13

low levels of serotonin

Answer 13

normal transmission of mood relevant info doesn’t happen and a person may experience low moods

Question 14

lateral frontal lobes

Answer 14

responsible for logical thinking and making decisions - hoarding disorder - can’t make decisions

Question 15

parahippocampal gyrus

Answer 15

associated with processing unpleasant emotions, functions abnormally in OCD

Question 16

Genetic explanation evaluation: research support

Answer 16

• evidence suggests people are vulnerable to OCD as a result of their genetic make-up
• Neatadt et al found 68% of identical twins shared OCD opposed to 31% non identical twins
• research also found someone with a family member diagnosed with OCD is around four times more likely to develop it

Question 17

genetic explanation evaluation: environmental risk factors

Answer 17

• evidence that genetic variation can make a person more or less vulnerable to OCD
• OCD doesn’t appear to be entirely genetic
• Cromer et al found over half OCD clients in their sample experienced a traumatic event in the past
• OCD was more severe for those with past trauma

Question 18

Neural explanation evaluation: research support

Answer 18

• antidepressants working on serotonin are effective in reducing OCD symptoms which suggests serotonin is linked to OCD
• if a biological disorder produces OCD symptoms we may assume the biological process underlie OCD

Question 19

neural explanation evaluation: no unique neural system

Answer 19

• serotonin-OCD link may not be unique to OCD
• many with OCD also experience clinical depression
• two disorders together = co-morbidity
• it could be that serotonin activity is disrupted in many with OCD because they’re depressed as well
•serotonin may not be relevant with OCD symotkms