Explaining OCD

Question 1

What is the biological approach?

Answer 1

a perspective that emphasizes the importance of physical processes in the body such as genetic inheritance and neural function

Question 2

What are genetic explanations?

Answer 2

genes make up chromosomes and consist of DNA which codes the physical features of an organism. Genes are transmitted from parents to offspring.

Question 3

What are candidate genes?

Answer 3

Specific genes that create a vulnerability for OCD
Serotonin - implicated in the transmission of serotonin across synapses
dopamine genes are also implicated

Question 4

What does it mean that OCD is polygenic?

Answer 4

OCD is caused by several other genes and not just one
Taylor found evidence that up to 230 genes may be involved in OCD

Question 5

what does it mean if OCD is aetiologically heterogeneous?

Answer 5

one group of genes may cause OCD in one person but a different group of genes may cause OCD in another

Question 6

what are neurotransmitters responsible for?

Answer 6

relaying information from one neuron to another.

Question 7

Decision-making systems in the frontal lobes are impaired

Answer 7

some cases of ocd especially hoarding disorder Are associated with impaired decision-making. this in turn may be related to abnormal functioning of the lateral frontal lobes of the brain. the frontal lobes are responsible for logical thinking and making decisions.

Question 8

what are neural explanations?

Answer 8

the view that physical and psychological characteristics are determined by the behaviour of the nervous system in particularly the brain.