Biological approach to treating phobias

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

Explain how the drug SSRI’s work in treatment of OCD

Answer 3

• work on serotonin system
• 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
• this increases levels of serotonin in the synapse

Question 4

Give an example of a SSRI

Answer 4

fluoxetine

Question 5

What alternatives to SSRI’s are there?

Answer 5

Tricyclics
- same effect as SSRI’s
- 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 evidence is there for the effectiveness of drug treatments?

Answer 6

• Soomro et al- meta-analysis of 17 studies
• SSRI’s reduced symptoms for around 70% of people compared to those group who took the placebo

Question 7

What is a counterpoint for the effectiveness of drug treatments?

Answer 7

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

Question 8

How are drugs cost effective & non-disruptive? (strength)

Answer 8

• 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 drug treatments?

Answer 9

• 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

Why is there controversy over the effectiveness of drugs?

Answer 10

• 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