biological approach to explaining ocd ao1

Question 1

describe the diathesis stress model

Answer 1

attemps to explain behaviour as a pre-dispositional vulnerability together with stress from life experiences. certain genes leave people more likely to suffer but environmental stress is necessary to trigger the condition

Question 2

what two types of biological explanations to ocd are there

Answer 2

genetic and neural

Question 3

how does lewis show that genes are involved in individual vulnerability to ocd

Answer 3

lewis found that 37% of his patients had parents with ocd and 21% had siblings with ocd. suggests that ocd runs in families and vulnerability can be passed on

Question 4

list the genetic explanations for ocd

Answer 4

candidate gene, polygenic, aetiologically heterogenous, comt gene, sert gene

Question 5

describe candidate genes as a genetic explanation for ocd

Answer 5

genes identified that create vulnerability for ocd, some of which are involved in regulating the development of the serotonin system

Question 6

describe ocd being polygenic as a genetic explanation for ocd

Answer 6

caused by many genes, mostly related to the action of serotonin and dopamine

Question 7

who does taylor support ocd being polygenic

Answer 7

analysed findings of previous studies and found evidence that up to 230 different genes may be involved with ocd

Question 8

describe aetiologically heterogenous as a genetic explanation for ocd

Answer 8

different genes can cause ocd in different people. means the origin of ocd has different causes that brings on different types of ocd

Question 9

describe comt gene as a genetic explanation for ocd

Answer 9

gene that regulated dopamine which may have a role in ocd. more common in ocd patients than people without the disorder. this variation of the gene is associated with lower comt activity and so higher dopamine levels (tukel et al)

Question 10

describe sert gene as a genetic explanation for ocd

Answer 10

may affect movemeny of serotonin, resulting in reduced production. lower levels of serotonin are implicated in ocd (ozaki et al)

Question 11

what is the neural explanation for ocd

Answer 11

serotonin levels

Question 12

what is the function of serotonin

Answer 12

regulating mood, contributing to wellbeing and happiness

Question 13

describe how low levels of serotonin can cause ocd

Answer 13

if a person has low levels of serotonin then normal transmission of mood relevant information does not take place and mood/mental processes are affected