OCD

Question 1

What is OCD?

Answer 1

spectrum disorder two people may have have OCD but different severities

Question 2

What are the cognitive characteristics of OCD?

Answer 2

1) obsessions - unwanted thoughts that are recurring

2) hypervigilance - maintain constant alertness

Question 3

What are the behavioral characteristics of OCD?

Answer 3

1) compulsions - repeated behaviours to reduce anxiety

2) avoidance - of situations that trigger compulsions eg 👏🏼💦

Question 4

What are the emotional characteristics of OCD?

Answer 4

1) anxiety - obsession is unpleasant fightening

2) irrational guilt

Question 5

What is the genetic approach to explaining to OCD?

Answer 5

• due to physical factors runs in families suggest a genetic predisposition OCD inherited
• maladaptive (undesirable) genes
• candidate genes vulnerable to OCD
• COMT SERT

Question 6

What is the COMT gene?

Answer 6

involved in regulation of dopamine in brain
common in ppl with OCD
variation causes an ↑dopamine activity associated with compulsions

Question 7

What is the neurochemical approach to explaining OCD?

Answer 7

1) OCD due to an imbalance in neurotransmitters low levels of serotonin

serotonin involved in maintaining stable mood

2) mutation in SERT gene causes serotonin to be recycled too quickly back in to pre-synaptic neuron can activate the post synaptic neuron
3) low levels of serotonin activity lead to anxiety seen as obsessions in OCD

Question 8

What is the Neuroanatomy explanantion to OCD?

Answer 8

1) OCD due to differences in shape , size and/functioning of specific brain areas linked to basal ganglia
2) responsible to psychomotor functions, hypersensitvity of the basal ganglia result in repetitive movements
3) could explain compulsions experienced ppl OCD

Question 9

Give a weakness into biological approach

Answer 9

P - biologically reductionist
E - reduces complex human behavior of OCD down to simple basic units of genes (SERT)
E - negelcts holistic approach persons culture and social context
L - lack validity doesn’t allow us to undertand the behaviour into context

Question 10

Give a strenth of of biological explanation to OCD

Answer 10

P - scientific methods
E - based on objective and empirical techniques such as gene mapping
L - ↑internal validity raising scientific status

Question 11

Give a second strength into the biological approach into explaining OCD

Answer 11

P - practical applications
E - OCD due to mutation in SERT gene and low serotonin levels has led to development of drug treatments
E - SSRI’s increase amount of serotonin activity in the brain and is found to reduce anxiety , relieving OCD symptoms
L - important in applied psychology helps improve lives

Question 12

Outline drug therapy as a treatment for OCD

Answer 12

1. drug therapy is a biological treatment for OCD it works by balancing levels of neurotransmitters in brain to relieve symptoms of OCD
2. one drug used in anti-depressants known as SSRI’s
3. SSRI’s increase serotonin levels by blocking recycling of serotonin to the pre-synaptic neuron = increasing serotonin levels in synapse continues to activate the post-synaptic neurone
4. these drugs shown to reduce anxiety associated with OCD
5. SSRI’s usually take 3-4 months to aleviate symptoms of OCD
6. SNRI’s increase serotonin leels and noradrenaline activity and can be used if SSRI’s aren’t effective

Question 13

Give RTS for effectiveness for drug therapy as a treatment of OCD

Answer 13

P - conducted by Soomro
E - reviewed 7 studies of the use of SSRI’s to treat OCD and found SSRI’s were more effective in reducing symptoms than placebos
E - symptoms reduced by 70% of ppl rest of 30% can behelped by alternative drugs
L - therefore showing effectiveness of drug therapy as a treatment for OCD

Question 14

How can you counter argue soomros study?

Answer 14

skapinakis carried out systematic review of outcome studies and found that both cognitive and behavioural exposure therapies were more effective than SSRIs

drugs may not be the optimum treatment for OCD

Question 15

Give another effectiveness point for drug therapy as a treatment for OCD

Answer 15

P - require little motivation from patients
E - patients only have to remember to take their tablet in order to reduce symptoms of OCD
E - may be better option than CBT as this requires patients to attend sessions and challenge irrational thoughts (obsessions)
L - due to this some patients prefer drug therapy

extra - cost effective whiih benefits the NHS and the economy as money is saved on treating OCD can be spent elsewhere

Question 16

Give a criticism of drug therapy to treating OCD

Answer 16

P - not appropriate as it can cause negative side effects
E - SSRI’s can cause nausea, headaches and insomnia
E - this is an issue as patients may become distressed then stop taking medication
L - reducing effectiveness of drug therapy as a treatment of OCD