Biological approach to explaining OCD Flashcards
What is the genetic explanation of OCD?
Genes cause vulnerability to OCD. There are candidate genes such as SERT and COMT which create vulnerability for OCD. OCD is also polygenic and so many genes are involved in causing OCD but different genes cause the disorder in different people.
What is the neural explanation of OCD (brain)?
The Basal Ganglia is meant to filter out important information and send it to the thalamus to carry out actions. In OCD patients the basal ganglia is said to be faulty and so sends more information to the thalamus and more actions are taken, causing obsessions and compulsions.
What is the neural explanation of OCD (neurotransmitter)?
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter related to mood. Neurotransmitters take information from one neuron to another. Reduced levels of serotonin lead to
What are the strengths of the genetic explanation?
There is good supporting evidence as Nesdtadt et al reviewed previous twin studies and found that 68% of identical twins shared OCD and only 31% of non identical twins, suggesting a genetic influence.
What are the weaknesses of the genetic explanation?
There are too many candidate genes so it is hard to pin down all the genes, making it hard to predict.
Cromer found that patients have often experienced a traumatic event, meaning that OCD is not purely genetic.
What is a strength of the neural explanations?
There is supporting evidence as antidepressents increase serotonin and these have reduced OCD symptoms.
What are the weaknesses of the neural explanations?
No brain system has been found to always cause OCD
Evidence suggests that structures do not function normally in OCD patients but there isn’t evidence they cause it, they could be a result of OCD.
OCD and depression may be co-morbid and so the low levels of serotonin could be caused by depression rather than OCD.
