OCD

Question 1

What are the behavioural characteristics of OCD?

Answer 1

Compulsions/repetitive behaviour
Avoidance

Question 2

How does a person with OCD demonstrate compulsions?

Answer 2

Repetitive actions that hinder ability to perform daily tasks
Reduces anxiety from obsessions
Person must perform compulsions otherwise consequences

Question 3

How does a person with OCD demonstrate avoidance?

Answer 3

Avoid situations that may trigger their anxiety (avoiding emptying a bin to avoid germs)

Question 4

What are the emotional characteristics of OCD?

Answer 4

High anxiety / low mood
Disgust / self-loathing

Question 5

Why do people with OCD demonstrate high anxiety?

Answer 5

They are aware of their inability to control themselves

Question 6

Why do people with OCD have a low mood?

Answer 6

They aware aware of their excessive behaviour which causes embarrassment

Question 7

How do people with OCD demonstrate disgust/self-loathing?

Answer 7

They hate source of obsessions or themselves

Question 8

What are the cognitive characteristics of OCD?

Answer 8

Obsessions/Irrational beliefs
Awareness of irrational behaviour
Selective attention

Question 9

What is an obsessive thought?

Answer 9

Persistent, intrusive, irrational behaviour that is perceived as inappropriate or forbidden

Question 10

What are common obsessions?

Answer 10

Doubts
Impulses
Images

Question 11

How are people with OCD aware of their irrational behaviour?

Answer 11

They often know their thoughts are inappropriate/irrational but can’t consciously control them

Question 12

How does a person with OCD demonstrate selective attention?

Answer 12

Increased awareness of source of obsessions in new situations

Question 13

What does polygenic mean?

Answer 13

More than 1 gene is responsible for behaviour

Question 14

What are candidate genes?

Answer 14

Genes that might be responsible for a behaviour

Question 15

What are neurotransmitters?

Answer 15

Chemical messengers in the nervous system

Question 16

What are the 2 biological explanations of OCD?

Answer 16

Genetic Explanation

Neural Explanation

Question 17

What does the biological approach assume?

Answer 17

OCD is caused by genetic and biochemical factors

Question 18

What does the genetic explanation suggest?

Answer 18

OCD is inherited

Question 19

What 2 genes may have a role in causing OCD?

Answer 19

COMT gene

SERT gene

Question 20

What does the COMT gene do?

Answer 20

Regulates production of dopamine

Variation of this gene causes more dopamine

This variation is more common in people with OCD

Question 21

What does the SERT gene do?

Answer 21

Affects transportation of serotonin

Causes lower levels of serotonin which is linked to OCD

Question 22

What are the strengths for the genetic explanation?

Answer 22

Animals studies

Nestadt et al (2010)

Question 23

What did Nestadt et al do (2010)?

Answer 23

Concordance rates for OCD between monozygotic twins (68%) was higher than dizygotic twins (32%)

Question 24

How do animals studies act as a strength for the genetic explanation of OCD?

Answer 24

Ahmari (2016) found a common gene in mice who display ritualistic behaviour

Suggests that behaviour may be caused by genes, like OCD

Question 25

What is the weakness of the genetic explanation?

Answer 25

Limited explanation - Cannot apply to families without a history of OCD - Around half of OCD cases tend to follow trauma

Question 26

What does the neural explanation suggest?

Answer 26

Abnormal levels of neurotransmitters causes abnormal transmission of mood-related information

Question 27

What 2 neurotransmitters affect mood?

Answer 27

Dopamine Serotonin

Question 28

How does dopamine link to OCD?

Answer 28

High levels of dopamine is linked to hyperactivity in the basal ganglia of the brain This causes repetitive motor functions

Question 29

How does serotonin link to OCD?

Answer 29

Low levels of serotonin cause the caudate nucleus in the basal ganglia of the brain to malfunction which also causes compulsions

Question 30

What is the strength of the neural explanation?

Answer 30

Antidepressants which increase serotonin levels have been shown to lessen symptoms of OCD

Question 31

What is a weakness of the neural explanation?

Answer 31

OCD may cause abnormal levels of neurotransmitters or it may be the other way around DON’T KNOW WHICH ONE COMES FIRST

Question 32

What do the biological treatments for OCD focus on?

Answer 32

Correcting the balance of neurotransmitters to reduce symptoms

Question 33

What are the two biological treatments for OCD?

Answer 33

SSRIs (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors) Benzodiazepines

Question 34

What are some examples of SSRIs?

Answer 34

Antidepressants such as: Prozac Fluoxetine

Question 35

What are some examples of benzodiazepines?

Answer 35

Anti-anxiety drugs: Valium Diazepam

Question 36

How does serotonin travel in the brain?

Answer 36

Released by presynaptic neurons Travels across synaptic cleft / synapse Chemically convert signals from presynaptic neuron to postsynaptic neuron Reabsorbed by the presynaptic neuron - broken down and reused

Question 37

What do SSRIs do to serotonin?

Answer 37

Prevent reabsorption and breakdown serotonin to increase the level of serotonin in the synapse Serotonin continues to stimulate the postsynaptic neuron Reduces anxiety

Question 38

How long do SSRIs take?

Answer 38

Usually 3-4 months to impact symptoms

Question 39

What are the strengths of SSRIs?

Answer 39

Research support (Soomro 2009) Proven to decline symptoms

Question 40

What did Soomro (2009) do?

Answer 40

Reviewed 17 studies comparing SSRIs to placebo drugs All 17 studies shows SSRIs were more effective - especially when paired with CBT

Question 41

How are SSRIs proven to decline symptoms?

Answer 41

70% patients experienced decline in OCD symptoms Remaining 30% chose psychological therapies or both

Question 42

What are the weaknesses of SSRIs?

Answer 42

May have sever side effects: - indigestion - loss of sex drive - blurred vision Can cause patients to stop taking the medication

Question 43

What do benzodiazepines do?

Answer 43

Slow down activity on central nervous system by enhancing activity of GABA

Question 44

What is GABA?

Answer 44

A neurotransmitter which has an inhibitory affect on neurons

Question 45

How does GABA slow down activity of the CNS?

Answer 45

Reacts with GABA receptors on neurons GABA locks on to these receptors and open a channel Chloride ions flow through the channel making it harder for other neurotransmitters to stimulate it Slows down natural activity and makes a person feel more relaxed

Question 46

What is the strength of Benzodiazepines?

Answer 46

Can reduce anxiety and OCD symptoms in a short period of time - a lot faster than CBT and other treatments

Question 47

What are the disadvantages of benzodiazepines?

Answer 47

Side effects Dependency (Ashton 1997) Increasing tolerance

Question 48

What are some side effect of benzodiazepines?

Answer 48

Drowsiness Depressions Unpredictable interactions with alcohol

Question 49

What did Ashton (1997) find?

Answer 49

Long-term users of benzodiazepines become dependent on it Sudden withdrawal leads to return of high anxiety and OCD symptoms