Biological approach to explaining OCD Flashcards
What are the two biological explanations for OCD?
The genetic explanation and the neural explanation.
What is the genetic explanation of OCD?
That OCD is genetically inherited and runs in families.
What model is associated with the genetic explanation?
The diathesis stress model
What does the diathesis-stress model state?
That certain genes leave some people more likely to suffer a mental disorder- some environmental stress is needed to ‘trigger’ the condition.
What are the genes that create the vulnerability for OCD?
Candidate genes.
What does Polygenic mean?
It is not caused by a single gene, there are several genes involved.
What does a neural explanation focus on?
The affect of different levels of key neurotransmitters (chemical messengers) as well as structures on the brain.
WHat is the neural explanation of OCD?
It concerns the role of serotonin: if a person has low serotonin transmission then a person’s mood and other mental processes are affected - can also inhibit task repetition as a lack of mechanism.
What is associated with impaired decision making (in some cases of OCD)?
The abnormal functioning of the lateral frontal lobes which are responsible for thinking and decision-making.
What area of the brain is associated with processing unpleasant emotions and functions abnormality in OCD?
The parahippocampal gyrus.
WHat are the 6 evaluation points for the biological explanation of OCD?
\+ scientific \+ Nestadt et al (2010): twin studies \+ practical applications - biologically reductionist D-S model \+biologically determinist
Strength: may be seen as scientific
E: the biological approach focuses on observable, measurable biological features.
E: many modern techniques such as MRI brain scans have revealed that some OCD patients appear to have brain abnormalities such as a loss of tissue in the frontal lobes of the brain which could indicate brain abnormality plays a part in the disorder.
L: +ve as it enables the approach to be empirically tested.
How have twin studies supported the genetic explanation for OCD?
E: Nestadt et al (2010) reviewed previous twin studies and found that 68% of MZ twins shared OCD opposed to 31% of DZ twins.
L:This supports the idea that the more genes we share with a sufferer, the more likely we are to develop OCD too.
Biological explanations for OCD can be praised for having practical applications.
E: drug therapies which aim to correct neurotransmitter imbalances in the brain have been shown to be effective in treating OCD.
E: Soomro et al (2009) who found that SSRIs were significantly more effective than placebos in treating OCD.
L: +ve approach has been useful in developing treatments that are effective in addressing OCD.
The approach may be criticised for being biologically reductionist.
E: Approach reduces the complex issue of mental health down to its most basic parts such as genes and ignores the role that the environment may play.
E: Although concordance rates are often found to be higher in MZ twins than DZ twins for OCD, the fact concordance rates are not 100% in MZ twins suggests other factors must play a role.
L: problem as the biological approach to OCD may be too simplistic.
