OCD

Question 1

Behavioral characteristics

Answer 1

Compulsions- external behaviors that are repeated to reduce anxiety. For example checking counting or washing hands

Avoidance of situations that trigger compulsions them e.g a person with cleaning ritual may attempt to avoid germs by not shaking hands with people

Question 2

Cognitive characteristics

Answer 2

Obsessions- internal intrusive unwanted thoughts that are recurring and are unpleasant and cause anxiety e.g worries of being contaminated with germs

Awareness that the thoughts/ obsessions and compulsions are irrational and excessive and unreasonable

Hypervigilance- people with ocd may maintain constant alertness and keep attention focused on potential hazards e.g germs

Question 3

Emotional characteristics

Answer 3

Anxiety and distress- the obsession are often unpleasant and frightening and can cause overwhelming anxiety. The urge to perform compulsions can also cause anxiety

OCD can also show other negative emotions such as irrational guilt and disgust

Question 4

1) The genetic explanation

Answer 4

The biological approach would argue that ICD is due to physical factors in the body. OCD tends to run in families it would suggest a genetic predisposition to ICD is inherited.

The genetic explanation would argue that OCD is due to the inheritance of one or many maladaptive genes e.g SERT.

Like many conditions OCD is polygenic meaning it is not caused by one single gene but a combination of genes that increase vulnerability to OCD.

There are specific genes called candidate genes which make an individual vulnerable to developing OCD. These are called COMT and SERT genes.

There are several genes that have been identified in OCD these include:

The SERT gene is involved in the transportation of serotonin. The SERT gene if mutated reduces serotonin activity levels which is associated with and increase in anxiety and OCD symptoms.

The COMT gene is involved in the regulation of dopamine in the brain. One form of the COMT gene has been found to be more common in people with OCD than those who do not have the disorder. This variation causes an increase in dopamine activity associated with compulsions in OCD

Question 5

2) The neutral explanation

Answer 5

• the neurochemical explanation would suggest that OCD is due to an imbalance in neurotransmitters specifically low levels of serotonin activity.
• serotonin is involved in maintaining a stable mood .
• a mutation in the SERT gene causes serotonin to be recycled too quickly back into the pre-synaptic neuron before it can activate the post synaptic neuron.
• The low levels of serotonin activity can lead to anxiety this can be seen with the obsessions in OCD

Question 6

Neuroanatomical approach- brain structure

Answer 6

• OCD is associated with impaired/faulty decision making in the brain neuroanatomy refers to the size shape and function of certain areas of the brain and how they are linked with OCD
• OCD is associated with abnormal functioning in the frontal lobe of the brain. The frontal lobes are responsible for logical thinking and decision making linked to obsessions in OCD as an individual is unaware there thought processes are irrational.
• there is also evidence to suggest that the parahippocampus gyrus is associated with processing unpleasant emotions such as anxiety which functioning abnormality in people with OCD

Question 7

AO3

Answer 7

A strength of the biological explanations of OCD is that is used scientific methods. This is because the theory is based on objective and empirical techniques such as gene mapping studies identify genes such as the SERT or brain scans to identify areas of the brain linked to OCD such as the frontal lobes and parahippocampus gyrus. Therefore some would argue that this increases the overall internal validity of the biological explanation of OCD this raising paychologys scientific status

Question 8

Biological approach to treating OCD

Answer 8

• Drug therapy is a biological treatment for OCD. Drug therapy works by balancing levels sos the neuron transmitter in the brain in order to relieve symptoms of OCD.
• one drug used is an anti-depressant known as selective serotonin retake inhibitors.
• SRI’S are a serotonin agonist.
• SSRI’S increase serotonin activity levels by blocking the re-absorbtion of serotonin to the pre synaptic neuron increasing serotonin levels in the synapse so it continues to activate/stimulate the post-synaptic neuron .
• these drugs have been shown to reduce anxiety associated with OCD.
  SSRI’S usually take around 3-4 months to alleviate symptom if OCD and the dosage can vary from person to person.
• In the past few years a different class of anti-depressant drugs called SNRI’S have been used to treat OCD. These can increase levels of serotonin and noradrenaline activity and can be used if SSRI’S have not been effective

Question 9

AO3

Answer 9

Research to support the effectiveness of drug therapy as a transparent of OCD was conducted by soomro et al 2009. Soomro et al reviewed 17 studies of the use is Ssri’S to treat ICD and found that SSRI’S were more effective in reducing symptoms of OCD compared to placebos. Typically symptoms reduced in around 70% of people taking SSRI’S for the remaining 30% most can me helped with either alternative drugs or a combination of drugs and psychological therapies l. Therefore showing the effectiveness of drug therapy as a transparent for OCD.