BIOLOGICAL EXPLANATION & TREATMENT TO OCD Flashcards
Outline the genetic and neural explanations to OCD
Genetic - the SERT gene affects the transport of the serotonin , creating lower levels of the neurotransmitter . These lower levels are also implicated in OCD. One study found that a mutation of this gene in two unrelated families where 6 of the 7 members had OCD.
NEURAL - Abnormal levels of neurotransmitters . Dopamine levels are thought to be abnormally high in OCD patients . During an animal study high doses of drugs enhancing dopamine led to behaviour resembling those found in OCD patients .
Low levels of serotonin are also associated with OCD . This is based on the fact that antidepressants drugs that increase serotonin have been seen to reduce OCD symptoms .
Evaluate the genetic and neural explanations of OCD
Strength GENES - family and twin studies . Nestadt et al identified 80 patients with OCD and 343 of their first degree relatives compared them with 73 control patients without mental illness and their relatives . He found that people with a first degree relative with OCD are more likely to have it . This evidence points to a clear genetic basis for OCD , however concordance rates are never 100% therefore other environmental factors may play a role
Strength NEURAL - Many studies demonstrate the genetic link to abnormal neurotransmitters . Menzies used MRI to produce images of brain activity in OCD patients and their immediate family without OCD and also a group of unrelated healthy people . OCD patients and their close relatives showed had reduced grey matter in key regions of the brain , including the OFC. This supports that anatomical views are inherited and may lead to OCD .
LIMIT - The bio approach faces strong competition from psychological explanations . The two process model can be applied to OCD . Association is mainted because anxiety provoking stimulus is avoided . Therefore an obsession is formed which leads to compulsive ehaviours that appear to reduce the anxiety . This is supported by a treatment for OCD called exposure and response prevention ( ERRP) it is similiar to SD . Patients experience their feared stimulus while being prevented from performing their compulsive behaviour . Albucher reported that between 60 and 90% of adults with OCD have improved considerably using ERP . This suggests that OCD may have psychological causes as well as , or instead of biological causes
Describe the use of anti-depressants : SSRIs as a way of treating OCD
Anti depressants are the most commonly used drugs to treat Depression and OCD . Low levels of serotonin are implicated in the worry circuit so increasing serotonin may normalise the circuit ( reducing anxiety ) . Selective Serotonin re- uptake inhibitors ( SSRIS) regulate mood and anxiety . Serotonin is released into a synapse from one nerve ( neuron ) . It targets receptor cells on the receiving neuron and is re - absorbed. In order to increase levels of the serotonin in the synapse , and increase stimulation to the receivng neuron , this re- absorption is inhibited .
Evaluate drugs as a treatment to OCD
Strength - Drug therapies are preferred to other treatments . Using drugs requires little input from users in terms of effort and time . Drug therapies are also cheaper for the health service because they require little monitoring and cost much less than psychological treatments .
Whereas treatments like CBT require the patient to attend regular meetings and put considerable thought into tackling their problems .
Limitation - Drugs have side effects . Common side effects of SSRIs are nausea , headache and insomnia . Although symptoms are not severe they are enough to make a patient stop taking the drug . These side effectS , and the possibility of addiction , limit the usefulness of drugs as treatments for OCD.
