BMT- The Biological Approach to Explaining and Treating OCD Flashcards
What are the two sections of the biological approach?
genetic explanations
neural explanations
What does the genetic explanation focus on?
centers on OCD being inherited through genetic transmission, with research originally centering on twin and family studies
What does genetic research now focus on instead of twin and family studies?
DNA profiling and gene-mapping studies which involve comparing genetic material from OCD sufferers and non-sufferers
What does genetic research suggest about the explanation for OCD?
research indicates a genetic link of OCD, with particular genes being involved that make some individuals more vulnerable to developing the disorder than others
it is unlikely that a single gene causes OCD, more of a combination
What is the aim of the twin studies on OCD?
to see if there is any indication of the extent to which OCD is inherited
What were the two types of samples used in the twin study of OCD?
‘Old Literature’ - comprising studies performed between 1929 and 1965 where it is unknown if patients would be diagnose with the disorder under modern diagnostic criteria
‘Studies meeting modern criteria’
What was the procedure of the Twin studies?
compared twins genetic material if one is known to have OCD
What were the findings of the twin studies?
In children, OCD symptoms are heritable, with genetic influence ranging from 45-65%
In adults, OCD symptoms are heritable with genetic influence ranging from 27 to 47%
What can be concluded from the twin studies?
twin studies indicate a gentic component to the transmission of OCD
Heritability of OCD appears to be greater in children than among adults
What are positive evaluation points of the genetic approach?
- Supported by research - the twin study found that OCD originating in childhood is more genetic in nature than that originating in adulthood, suggesting there may be different type of OCD with different causes
- As evidence indicated genetic factors are at work in the expression of some forms of OCD, especially obsessions about contamination, aggression and religion and compulsions involving washing, ordering and arranging, it may well be that some types of OCD are more genetic in nature than others
What can be concluded from the twin studies?
- although research suggests a genetic component to OCD, there must be some environmental influences upon the disorder, or else the concordance rate between MZ twins would be 100%
- Pato et el reports that a substantial amount of evidence suggests that OCD is a heritable condition, but that few details are understood about genetic mechanism underpinning the disorder, indicating the need for more focused research
What does the neural explanation suggest about OCD
some forms of OCD have been linked to breakdowns in immune system functioning, which would indicate a biological explanation through damage to neural mechanisms
What do PET scans suggest about the neural explanation of OCD?
show relatively low levels of serotonin activity in the brains of OCD sufferers and as drugs that increase serotonin activity have been found to reduce the symptoms of OCD,
This suggests that the neurotransmitter may be involved with the disorder
What area of the brain is typically very active in OCD sufferers as seen from PET scans?
in the orbital frontal cortext, a brain area associated with higher level thought processes and the conversion of sensory information into thoughts
How does brain activity differ from a non OCD sufferer to a sufferer ?
a non-sufferer may have an impulse to wash the dirt from their hands, once this is done the impulse to perform this activity stops and thus so does the behaviour
It may be that those with OCD have difficulty in switching off or ignoring impulses, so that they turn into obsessions, resulting in compulsive behavior
