Biological approach to treating OCD

Question 1

What is drug therapy?

Answer 1

• Treatment involving drugs aimed at ‘correcting’ imbalance of neurochemicals in the brain e.g. increase or decreasing activity
• also help reduce symptoms

Question 2

What antidepressant is used to tackle symptoms of OCD?

Answer 2

SSRI’s-
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors

Question 3

How does the drug SSRI’s work in treatment of OCD?

Answer 3

• work on serotonin system in brain
• serotonin (neurotransmitter) is released by presynaptic neurons (triggered by action potential) & travels across synapse
• binds to receptor sites on the post-synaptic neuron
• SSRI prevents reabsorption & breakdown by blocking the reuptake sites of the presynaptic neuron
• this increases levels of serotonin in the synapse & thus stimulates post synaptic neuron

Question 4

What is one example of an SSRI?

Answer 4

• fluoxetine (prozac)
• takes 3 to 4 months of daily use to have an effect on symptoms

Question 5

What alternatives to SSRI’s are there?

Answer 5

• If SSRI are not effective after 3-4m they can be combined with other drugs
  Tricyclics
• same effect as SSRI’s on the serotonin system
• more severe side effects > use for those who don’t respond to SSRI’s
• SNRI’s (Serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors)
• increases serotonin as well as noradrenaline
• used for those who don’t respond to SSRI’s

Question 6

What is a strength of the biological approach to treating OCD?

Answer 6

• evidence for its effectiveness
• Soomro et al- meta-analysis of 17 studies that compared SSRI’s to placebos in treatment of OCD
• SSRI’s reduced symptoms for around 70% of people compared to those group who took the placebo
• increase validity, drugs helpful

Question 7

What is a counterpoint for the effectiveness of drug treatments?

Answer 7

• It was found that CBT was more effective than SSRIs
• drugs may not be the best treatment for OCD

Question 8

What is another strength of the biological approach to treating OCD?

Answer 8

• drugs are cost effective & non-disruptive
• cheap > thousands of tablets or liquid doses can be manufactured in the time it takes to conduct one therapy session
• Good value for public health (NHS)
• non disruptive as you can take drugs until symptoms decline = less time spent attending therapy sessions=popular

Question 9

What is a limitation of the biological approach to treating OCD?

Answer 9

• drugs have serious side effects
• include headaches, insomnia , indigestion
• Tricyclics =side effects more serious e.g. 1 in 10 experience erections issues & weight gain
• not suitable for some
  =reduced quality of life as a result

Question 10

What is another limitation of the biological approach to treating OCD?

Answer 10

• controversy over the evidence for the effectiveness of drugs
• Goldacre > researchers (drug trials) sponsored by drug companies & may selectively publish positive results of drugs their sponsors are selling
• research supporting SSRI’s may be bias