Biological Therapies Flashcards
What are the types of therapy?
Chemotherapy
Psychosurgery
What two types of anti depressants are used to treat OCD?
Tricyclics
SSRIs
MAOIs
What is an example of a tricyclic?
Vivactil
How do tricyclics work?
They act on the two neurotransmitters, noradrenaline and serotonin which prevents reuptake to make more available in the post-synaptic neurone
What are some of the side effects of tricyclics?
Dizziness, blurred vision, dryness of mouth
What is good about tricyclics?
They are more effective than MAOIs, work quickly within two weeks and have fewer side effects than MAOIs
What is an example of SSRIs?
Prozac
How do SSRIs work?
They block the reuptake of serotonin, in turn increasing the amount of serotonin available in the synapse
What are the side effects of SSRIs?
Restlessness, weight gain/loss, vomitting
How do MAOIs work?
It prevents the enzyme monoamine oxidase from removing noradrenaline, serotonin and dopamine which improves cell communication and mood
What should you talk about when talking about MAOIs?
How they are no longer used because of all the negative side effects. They’ve been replaced by tricyclics.
What are some of the side effects of MAOIs?
Insomnia, muscle jerks, you were required to change your diet or you would become very ill
How many people do not benefit from drug therapy?
30-50%
What are the remains rate for drug therapy?
90%
Explain how drug therapy has a limited effectiveness…
30-50% receive no benefit
90% relapse rates
Palliative treatment
Need to stay on drugs for a long time, not good in terms of side effects
What is a palliative treatment?
A treatment which doesn’t examine the root cause, e.g drugs
How could drug therapy be improved?
If combined with psychological therapy e.g ERP
What is Simpson et al related to?
Combined therapy being more successful
What study suggests combined therapy is more successful?
Simpson et al
What were Simpson et als findings?
He found relapse rates are reduced when drug therapy is combined with exposure treatments
Why is ERP better than drug therapy?
Because unlike drug therapy it means the client is more active and they take more responsibility. They are given tools and coping mechanisms to help them deal with the future
Evaluation…
Passive patients
Drug therapy creates passive patients. People believe the drug alone will cure them and they don’t assist their own recovery
Evaluation…
Ethical issues
It is questioned if it is ethical for people to experience so many side effects. Also those whose lives are seriously disturbed by OCD may not be in a position to give fully informed consent
What is good about drug therapy?
It is good for people whose OCD restricts them so much they cannot leave the house or struggle to engage in talking therapies
It begins to work quickly within two weeks, for this reason perhaps it would be better for an initial step and then combined with ERP
What is the aim of biological treatments?
The put right biochemical imbalances
When is psychosurgery used?
It is a last resort for people with severe mood disorders such as OCD
What is the process of a cingulotomy?
The procedure targets the area of the brain called the anterior cingulate gyrus. Two heated probes are passed via incisions on each side of the midline on the top of your head into the part of the brain called the internal capsule. The acg of then destroys with an electric current.
Evaluation…(psychosurgery)
Success rate
25 cases of received a cingulotomy were recorded for 15 years. 60% showed improvements, 20% had no more problems. However there’s no indication as to how long improvement lasts.
Evaluation…(psychosurgery)
Side effects
Epilepsy, stroke, headaches, confusion, apathy
Evaluation…(psychosurgery)
Ethics
The question of ethics is raised with such an invasive treatment. It is dangerous and irreversible. It has been said patients should persist with other treatments but psychosurgery is used when all other options have been exhausted.
Also there’s the question of informed consent if people are seriously disturbed by OCD are they in a position to consent.
Evaluation…
Side effects
Side effects vary from drug to drug such as weight loss, weight gain, restlessness, vomitting
What is an alternative to psychosurgery?
ERP
