biological treatments of OCD Flashcards
What is the aim of drug therapy?
Increase or decrease neurotransmitters in brain or affect their activity
What drug is used to treat OCD?
Antidepressant called SSRI
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor
How does the serotonin system in the brain work?
Serotonin released by certain neurons Released by presynaptic neuron Travels across synapse Signal conveyed to postsynaptic neuron Reabsorbed, broken down and reused
How do SSRIs work?
Prevent reabsorption and breakdown of serotonin
Increase levels of serotonin in synapse - stimulates postsynaptic neuron
Compensates for problems in serotonin system
What is the SSRI dosage?
Varies according to which SSRI
Daily dose of Fluoxetine is 20mg
Capsule or liquid
3 to 4 months to see effect
How can SSRIs be combined with CBT?
Drugs reduce emotional symptoms
Allows patient to engage with CBT
What alternatives to SSRIs are there?
Tricyclics
SNRIs
What are tricyclics?
Clomipramine
Same effect on serotonin system as SSRIs
Severe side effects
What are SNRIs?
Serotonin noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors
Increase noradrenaline
Evaluation - drug therapy effective
Reduces severity of symptoms
Soomro - 17 studies show SSRIs better than placebos
Symptoms decline for 70% patients
Evaluation - drugs are cost effective and non disruptive
Good value for NHS
Cheaper than psychological treatment
No hard work
Popular with doctors and patients
Evaluation - side effects
Indigestion, blurred vision, loss of sex drive
Clomipramine side effects are common
Weight gain, tremors, erection problems
Cause people to stop taking the medication
Evaluation - unreliable evidence
Biased
Research sponsored by drug companies
Do not report all evidence
Evaluation - some cases of OCD follow trauma
Trauma induced OCD should be treated differently
Drug treatments used indiscriminately however
