biological approach to explaining/ treating OCD Flashcards
what approach is used to explain OCD?
the biological explanation
what are candidate genes?
they are inherited genes which are vulnerable to OCD. some of these are involved in the production of serotonin.
ODC is p…..
polygenic
what does OCD is polygenic mean?
it is caused by combinations of genes not just one.
who researched OCD being polygenic?
Taylor (2013) found that up to 230 different genes may be involved in OCD.
they have found to be associated with dopamine and serotonin
how many different genes may be involved in OCD?
230
different types of OCD
one group of genes may cause OCD in one person but a different group of genes may cause OCD in another person.
what is the main aspect of the neural explanation?
the role of serotonin, neurotransmitters
what is the role of serotonin in OCD?
it is thought that OCD could be caused by serotonin being absorbed faster than it is being produced, causing depleted serotonin levels
what are the two studies done on genetics?
•lewis (1936)
•Nestadt (2010)
what was Lewis’ study?
he conducted a family study (on parents/ siblings) and looked at incidence rates
he found that 37% of people with OCD had parents with the condition, and 21% had siblings with OCD as well
•shows a genetic link
what was Nestadt’s study?
he conducted a twin study, using identical and non-identical twins
•68% of identical twins shared OCD
•31% of non-identical twins shared OCD
what do vesicles do?
produce, release and re absorb neurotransmitters
evaluation points for the biological explanation of OCD
strength: drug therapies (SSRI)
limitation: co-morbidity with depression (might be treating depression not OCD)
limitation: we should not assume neural mechanisms cause OCD (they may be a consequence of OCD rather than the cause)
what is the biological approach to treating OCD?
drug therapy
what drug is used to treat OCD
an SSRI
what does SSRI stand for?
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
what theory is the drug therapy based upon?
that OCD is caused by depleted serotonin in the synapse, as it is absorbed faster than it is being produced
how would SSRI’s help treat OCD?
it increases the levels of serotonin in the synapse while continuing to stimulate the postsynaptic neuron
what are SSRI’s often combined with?
CBT therapy to give a more holistic approach
evaluation points for drug therapy
strength: drug therapy is effective
strength: cost-effective and non-disruptive
limitation: side effects
limitation: sceptical about drug research
strength: drug therapy is effective
•Soomro conducted a study which showed that the SSRI was more effective than the placebo drug
•typically symptoms decline significantly for 70% of patients taking SSRI’s
•shows SSRIs are effective in reducing OCD symptoms
•the other 30% can benefit from a combination of drugs and CBT
what was Soomro’s study?
•he conducted a meta analysis on 17 studies and concluded that they all showed the SSRI was more effective than a placebo drug
•typically symptoms decline significantly for 70% of patients taking SSRI’s
•shows they are effective in reducing OCD symptoms
•the other patients can benefit from a combination of drugs and CBT
strength: cost effective and non-disruptive
•they are inexpensive
•the require a lot less effort in comparison to engaging in a regular talking therapy, so they are more accessible for the more severe cases
•suitable for a diverse range of patients
limitation: side effects
•can cause side effects like blurred vision, loss of sex drive, erection problems, tremors, weight gain
•such factors reduce the effectiveness because people stop taking the medication
limitation: sceptical about drug research
•drug trials are conducted by pharmaceutical companies
•70% of drug research does not get published, so Soomra’s meta analysis was only based on 30% of total research
•publisher bias, they only publish flattering research to make a profit
what is the neural approach referring to?
SEROTONIN
synaptic connections and neurotransmitters
