Genetic Explanations of ocd Flashcards
What is genetic explanations?
A look at how disorders can be passed on from parents to offspring through our genes which are chromosomes that consist of DNA that codes the characteristics of an organism.(OCD is inherited).
What does candidate genes mean? Examples?
-Specific genes which create a vulnerability for OCD. Examples, Such as 5HTI-D Beta or SERT and COMT (more likely to get OCD than someone who doesn’t have SERT or COMT.
What does Polygenic mean ?Examples?
-Multiple genes, several genes are involved opposed (to OCD gene).Example, Taylor 2013 found up to 230 different genes were involved in OCD.
What does aetiologically heterogeneous mean? Examples?
- This means different variation of OCD, have different combination of OCD For example the gene for repetitive hand will be different to repetitive counting.
Why is support from family studies a strength of the biological explanation?
P There is research support from family studies.
E Lewis 1936 examined patients with OCD and found that 375 of the patients with OCD had parents with the disorder and 21% had siblings who suffered.
T This is therefore supports the genetic explanation for OCD, as it appears individuals are inheriting their OCD from their parents.
What does concordance rate mean?
Rate of similarity
How much DNA do Monozygotic twins share?
100%
How much DNA do Dizygotic twins share?
50%
Explain the research support from twin studies?
Nestadt et al 2010 showed that 68% of monozygotic twins were both diagnosed with OCD, compared to 31% of dizygotic twins, suggesting there is a genetic basis.
Why may OCD also be due to the environment?
Alternative explanation
- Cromer found over 50% of the OCD patients in their sample has experienced a traumatic event in their past. OCD was also more severe in those with more than one trauma.
This suggest there is an alternative explanation of OCD.
What is the diathesis-stress model?
Interracialist approach.
States mental illness occurs due to an interaction between genes and the environment.
Why is Low predictive validity a weakness?
P there are too many candidate genes.
E Taylor found there were over 230 candidate genes involved with OCD. This means that finding a definitive genetic cause is very unlikely.
T this decreases the usefulness of this explanation, as it has low predictive validity.
