OCD

Question 1

What does OCD stand for?

Answer 1

Obsessive compulsive disorder

Question 2

What is OCD?

Answer 2

A condition where sufferers experience extreme anxiety leading to obsessive thoughts and/or compulsive thoughts

Question 3

Breakdown of what obsessive + compulsive actually is?

Answer 3

The individual suffers from repetitive obsessive thought

They could have compulsion to carry out specific behaviour to reduce their anxiety and discomfort

Question 4

What are the cognitive aspects of OCD?

Answer 4

Persistent thoughts

Question 5

What are behavioural aspects of OCD?

Answer 5

• avoidance
• repetitive behaviour

Question 6

What are emotional aspects of ocd?

Answer 6

• high levels of anxiety
• depression
• disgust

Question 7

Outline one behavioural and one cognitive characteristics of OCD? (4 marks)

Answer 7

Behavioural component of OCD are the compulsions where the individual feels the need to carry out the same activities. The cognitive component of OCD is where suffered have intrusive and unwanted thoughts that cause distress

Question 8

How is OCD explained?

Answer 8

Through the biological explanation

Question 9

Biological explanation for OCD

Answer 9

Genetic and Neural explanation

Question 10

Genetic explanation of OCD

Answer 10

Genetic explanations state that a person is more predisposed to getting OCD if they inherit it from their parents.

There is no single gene that causes OCD, OCD is thought to be polygenic (230 different genes ) are involved in the development of OCD. However, there are candidate genes(ie SERT and COMT genes)that are more prevalent in people with OCD.

Question 11

State and explain the roles of the candidate genes that are responsible for OCD?

Answer 11

-SERT gene- is involved in the reuptake of serotonin and leads to low levels of it - leading to OCD (repetitive behaviour)

-COMT gene- Activation of dopamine - high levels of dopamine linked to OCD.

Question 12

Explain why the COMT and SERT gene are candidate genes ?

Answer 12

They present in all suffers of OCD.

Question 13

How can psychologist figure out the degree to which an individual is predisposed to developing OCD?

Answer 13

Concordance

Question 14

One strength of the genetic explanation of OCD is that family studies and twin studies provide evidence for the heritability of OCD.

Answer 14

Family studies show that the prevalence of individuals developing OCD (who are not closely related/do not share the same genes) is about 2%. The concordance of 2% show that those two individuals are less likely to develop OCD.
However, twin studies show that monozygotic twins(twins who share 100% of their genes) have a concordance rate of 68% and dizygotic twins(twins sharing only 50% of their genes) have a concordance rate of 31%. Therefore showing that a predisposition to OCD is inherited.

Question 15

One limitation of the genetic explanation of OCD is that it ignores the environmental factors that influence OCD.

Answer 15

Although there is evidence to support the influence of genes on OCD, there are environmental factors that can influence OCD.

A study by Kromer et al shows that environmental risk factors can trigger or increase the risk of developing OCD.

In this study, they found out that individuals in their study who had OCD had experienced one or more traumatic events.
In addition, individuals who had suffered more traumatic events had severe OCD.

Therefore, these findings show that OCD is not completely genetic.

Question 16

What is the neural correlates?

Answer 16

Explaining something using neurotransmitters and brain structures.

Question 17

Neural Explanations of OCD

Answer 17

Suffers of OCD have abnormal levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin and dopamine. Suffers of OCD.

Question 18

What neurotransmitters are involved in OCD?

Answer 18

Serotonin and Dopamine

Question 19

How has the neurotransmitter seratonin being linked with OCD?

Answer 19

Low levels of serotonin has been linked with the obsessive thoughts.

The low levels of serotonin is a result of a lack of serotonin uptake by the postsynaptic neuron.

Question 20

How has the neurotransmitter dopamine being linked with OCD?

Answer 20

High levels of dopamine in the

Question 21

Which area of the brain has been linked with OCD?

Answer 21

The parahippocampal gyrus has been linked to OCD as it is responsible for processing and regulating unpleasant thoughts.

A hyperactive orbitofrontal cortex has been linked with recurring thoughts

Question 22

Treatments of OCD

Answer 22

Medications
SSRI (antidepressants )-increase the levels of serotonin by reducing its reuptake of it.
eg: fluoxetine

Medications and CBT- medicines reduce the emotional pain the sufferer experiences (eg depression and anxiety) allowing the client to engage in CBT.

Question 23

One strength of drug treatments for OCD is that there is evidence to support its effectiveness.

Somero et al

Answer 23

Somero et al conducted 17 studies and the findings showed that patients on SSRIs had a 70% reduction in symptoms compared to those on the placebo.

When patients were on medications and therapies they had a 30% reduction in symptoms.

Therefore, shows that medications are effective in treating OCD.

Question 24

Evaluation of drug treatments of OCD is that they have serious side effects.

Answer 24

Although SSRIs help the majority of patients they have negative effects on others.
some of the negative side effects include loss of sex drive, indigestion, and blurred vision.
1 in 1000 patients on tricyclic experience aggression and heart-related problems.

Therefore this shows that other alternatives to drug treatments may be better suited to a minority of people.