OCD Flashcards
what are the behavioural characteristics of OCD?
- repetitive compulsions to reduce anxiety.
- avoidance of situations that trigger OCD to reduce anxiety.
what are the emotional characteristics of OCD?
- anxiety and distress as obsessive thoughts are unpleasant.
- depression as sufferers may have low moods and get a lack of enjoyment out of activities.
- irrational guilt often felt over minor issues.
- disgust towards self or other things.
what are the cognitive characteristics of OCD?
- obsessive thoughts that are reoccurring and unpleasant.
- cognitive strategies adopted to deal with obsessions and manage anxiety.
- insight into excessive anxiety, where suffers are aware that their obsessions and compulsions are not rational.
what is the genetic explanation of OCD?
- genes are involved in an individual’s vulnerability to OCD.
- Lewis observed that of his OCD patients, 37% had parents with OCD and 21% had siblings with OCD.
- suggests that OCD runs in families.
- however it is thought that it’s the genetic vulnerability to OCD that runs in families rather than a gene that produces OCD.
one strength of the genetic explanation of OCD.
- there is evidence from a variety of sources for the idea that some people are vulnerable to OCD as a result of their genetic makeup.
- Nestadt et al reviewed previous twin studies and found that 68% of identical twins shared OCD opposed to 31% of non-identical twins.
- this strongly suggests that there is a genetic influence on OCD.
one limitation of the genetic explanation of OCD.
- twin studies are flawed as genetic evidence.
- they assume that identical twins are more similar than non-identical twins in terms of their genes.
- they overlook the fact that identical twins may also be similar in terms of shared environments.
- non-identical twins may be a boy and a girl who have quite different experiences.
- this reduces the value of twin studies as the evidence doesn’t separate the effects of nature and nurture on OCD.
what is the neural explanation of OCD?
- some cases of OCD are explained by a reduction in the functioning of the serotonin system in the brain, meaning that less is produced.
- serotonin is a neurotransmitter responsible for regulating mood.
- low serotonin means that normal transmission of mood-relevant information between the neurons does not take place and mood and other processes are affected.
one strength of the neural explanation of OCD.
- evidence comes from research examining antidepressants.
- this research has found that drugs which increase the level of serotonin are effective in treating patients with OCD.
- this suggests that serotonin is involved in OCD.
one limitation of the neural explanation of OCD.
- serotonin-OCD link may simply be co-morbidity with depression.
- many people who suffer OCD becomes depressed, which leads to disruption to the serotonin system.
- however, the fact that anti-depressants that have no link to serotonin levels have no effect on OCD, suggests that serotonin is directly involved in OCD.
what is drug therapy?
treatment that aims to increase or decrease levels of neurotransmitters in the brain in order to increase or decrease neurotransmitter activity.
what is the standard treatment for OCD?
an anti-depressant known as Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitor (SSRI).
how does SSRI work on the serotonin system in the brain?
- by preventing the re-absorption and break down of serotonin by the pre-synaptic neuron.
- this means that the levels of serotonin in the synapse can increase and continue to stimulate the post-synaptic neuron.
what is the typical daily dose of Fluoxetine (an SSRI)?
- 20mg.
- can be taken as a capsule or liquid.
- it takes 3 to 4 months of daily use to have an impact on symptoms.
what’s an alternative drug to SSRI?
- Tricyclics such as Clomipramine.
- they have the same effect as SSRIs but have more severe side-effects.
- used for patients who don’t respond to SSRI.
one strength of drug therapy treatment.
- clear evidence of SSRIs reducing the severity of OCD symptoms.
- Soomro et al found drugs were more effective than placebos in reducing symptoms in 17 studies that were reviewed.
- this suggests that drugs can help most patients with OCD.
