Biologoical approach to treating OCD Flashcards
What is drug therapy
Drug therapy for mental disorders aims to increase or decrease levels of neurotransmitters in the brain or to increase/decrease their activity. Previously, we saw that low levels of serotonin are associated with OCD. Therefore, drug work in various ways to increase the level of serotonin in the brain
What is the standard medical treatment used to treat OCD
The standard medical treatment used to tackle the symptoms of OCD involves a particular type of antidepressant drug called a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)
Where do SSRI’s work
SSRIs work on the serotonin system in the brain
Where is serotonin released
Serotonin is released by certain neurons in the brain. It is released by the presynaptic neurons in the brain. It is released by the presynaptic neurons and travel across a synapse
What does the neurotransmitter do
The neurotransmitter chemically conveys the signal from the presynaptic neuron to the postsynaptic neuron and then it is reabsorbed by the presynaptic neuron where it is broken down and re-used
How do SSRI’s work
By preventing the re-absorption and breakdown of serotonin SSRIs effectively increase its levels in the synapse and thus continue to stimulate the postsynaptic neuron
Preventing the breakdown increases the serotonin levels, as it increases the chances of serotonin from moving through the post synaptic nerve
Preventing the re-absorption of serotonin (into the pre-synaptic nerve), increases the chances of serotonin from moving through the post synaptic nerve
This compensates for whatever is wrong with the serotonin system in OCD
What are the alternatives to SSRI’s
However, there are alternatives to SSRIs. Where an SSRI is not effective after three to four months the dose can be increased (e.g. up to 60mg a day for Fluoxetine) or it can be combined with other drugs
Evaluation point 1 (strength)
An advantage of drug treatments in general is that they are cheap compared to psychological treatments. Using drugs to treat OCD is therefore good value for a public health system like the National Health Service
Evaluation point 2 (strength)
As compared to psychological therapies SSRIs are also non-disruptive to patients’ lives. If you wish you can simply take drugs until your symptoms decline and not engage with the hard work of psychological therapy
Eval 3 (strength)
Typically, symptoms decline significantly for around 70% of patients taking SSRIs. Of the remaining 30% alternative drug treatments or combinations of drugs and psychological treatments will be effective for some. So drugs can help most patients with OCD
Eval 4 (W)
Treating OCD with drugs is not a long term solution as people can get addicted or stop taking them due to side effects which would immediately put people back in the same position where they started (finding a new treatment)
Eval 5 (W)
It is also not guaranteed that the drug will be affective, as not everybody reacts different to a specific treatment. Some patients also suffer side-effects such as indigestion, blurred vision and loss of sex drive
