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A Level Psychology (Psychopathology) > OCD > Flashcards

OCD Flashcards

1
Q

What are obsessions?

A

Persistent, intrusive, recurring thoughts/images

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2
Q

What are compulsions?

A

Repetitive, ritualistic behaviours

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3
Q

What are some common compulsions?

A

Excessive hand washing
Cleaning
Hoarding

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4
Q

How much of the world has OCD?

A

1.2%

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5
Q

Obsessive thoughts?

A

For 90% of sufferers, the major feature is obsessive thoughts
COGNITIVE

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6
Q

Accompanying depression?

A

Sufferers usually have depression, anxiety, low mood and lack of enjoyment in activities
EMOTIONAL

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7
Q

Cognitive strategies to deal with obsessions?

A

E.g. religious person may pray/meditate to get rid of guilt
Helps manage anxiety but makes them appear abnormal and distracts from everyday tasks
COGNITIVE

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8
Q

Avoidance?

A

Avoidance to reduce the anxiety which is triggered by the situation
Interferes with everyday life
BEHAVIOURAL

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9
Q

Insight into excessive anxiety?

A

aware it is not rational
Catastrophic thoughts about worst case scenarios
Constant alertness and focus on potential hazards
COGNITIVE

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10
Q

Guilt and disgust?

A

Irrational guilt
Disgust directed at external object/self
EMOTIONAL

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11
Q

Anxiety and distress?

A

Unpleasant emotional experience due to the anxiety it creates
Obsessions are unpleasant and frightening- anxiety can be overwhelming
Urge to repeat the behaviour creates the anxiety
EMOTIONAL

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12
Q

Compulsive behaviour?

A

Repetitive compulsions- sufferers feel compelled to repeat a behaviour creates
The compulsions are performed to reduce/manage the anxiety
BEHAVIOURAL

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13
Q

The OCD cycle?

A

Obsessions -> anxiety -> compulsions -> temporary relief

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14
Q

What is involved in individual vulnerability in OCD?

A

Genes

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15
Q

Lewis?

A

Lewis observed that 37% of his OCD patients had parents with OCD and 21% of the patients had siblings with OCD

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16
Q

What is passed from one generation to the next?

A

Genetic vulnerability not the certainty of OCD

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17
Q

What does the diathesis stress model say?

A

Certain genes leave some people more likely to develop a mental disorder

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18
Q

What is necessary to trigger the condition?

A

Environmental stress (experience)

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19
Q

What are genes which create vulnerability for OCD called?

A

Candidate genes

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20
Q

Is OCD caused by one single gene?

A

No- OCD is polygenic
230 genes may be involved in OCD

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21
Q

What do neurotransmitters do?

A

Carry, boost and regulate signals between neurons and other cells in the body

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22
Q

What does serotonin do?

A

Sends mood-relevant information
If this does not occur, then mood and mental processes may be affected

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23
Q

What can some cases of OCD be explained by?

A

A reduction in the functioning of the serotonin system

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24
Q

Hu 2006?

A

Low levels of serotonin have been found in people with OCCD

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25
Q

Where does serotonin play an active role in?

A

The orbito-frontal cortex
The caudate nucleus

26
Q

What does the drug SSRI do?

A

Increases the levels of serotonin in the brain

27
Q

How does the orbitofrontal cortex function in an OCD brain?

A

Detects an error when there isn’t one and sends worry signals

28
Q

How does the basal ganglia function in an OCD brain?

A

Causes repetitive behaviours

29
Q

How does the cingulate gyrus function in an OCD brain?

A

Adds emotions like disgust and guilt to anxious thoughts

30
Q

What does the caudate nucleus do in an OCD brain?

A

Fails to filter anxious thoughts

31
Q

What is the worry circuit?

A

The OFC sends signals to the thalamus via the caudate nucleus about things that are worrying
The cingulate cortex acts as a relay system
The caudate nucleus regulates signals from the OFC
When the caudate nucleus is damaged, it fails to suppress the worry signals and the thalamus is alerted which sends signals back to the OFC and the worry is confirmed
This increases compulsions and anxiety

32
Q

What research supports the genetic basis of OCD?

A

Family studies and twin studies

33
Q

What do biopsychologists investigate between family members?

A

Concordance rates for traits like OCD

34
Q

The higher the concordance rate?

A

The more likely the trait was inherited

35
Q

What does gene mapping indicate?

A

Indicates a genetic link- particular genes make some people more vulnerable to developing OCD

36
Q

What did Lenane et al show evidence for?

A

Prevalence of OCD in related family members shows evidence for heritability

37
Q

What are 3 problems with the genetic explanation?

A

No one is really sure what is being inherited via the genes- there is not a specific gene found
Never get 100% concordance
Some OCD forms are more genetic in nature than others (contamination, aggression)

38
Q

What are 2 genes that have been implicated in OCD?

A

The COMT gene
The SERT gene

39
Q

What does the COMT gene do?

A

Helps to reduce the action of dopamine

40
Q

What occurs when there is variation in the COMT gene?

A

Decreases the amount of COMT available- therefore dopamine is not controlled
Too much dopamine

41
Q

What does the SERT gene affect?

A

Affects the transport of serotonin- creating lower levels of the neurotransmitter
Lower levels of serotonin have been implicated with OCD

42
Q

What is used to treat OCD if CBT does not work?

A

Drug treatment

43
Q

What is the most common drug treatment for OCD?

A

Antidepressant medication

44
Q

What do antidepressants act on?

A

The levels of serotonin at the synapse

45
Q

What drugs are used to raise serotonin levels?

A

Fluoxetine or sertraline

46
Q

How do drugs raise serotonin levels?

A

Block the reuptake from the synapse back into the releasing neuron- therefore more serotonin is available for a longer period

47
Q

Is the dosage for OCD higher than the dosage used for depression? (Antidepressants)

A

Yes

48
Q

How long may it take for antidepressants to work?

A

Up to 12 weeks
AND some people do not respond to medication

49
Q

How do tricyclics/ SNRI’s function?

A

By inhibiting serotonin and norepinephrine repute within the pre synaptic terminals which results in elevated concentrations of these transmitters within the synaptic cleft

50
Q

Is there more or less side effects with tricyclics/SNRI’s than antidepressants?

A

More side effects as they are working on more chemical processes

51
Q

When are tricyclics/SNRI’s used?

A

If SSRI’s fails

52
Q

What are benzodiazepines (BZs)

A

A group of anti-anxiety drugs that include Valium and diazepam

53
Q

How do BZs work?

A

They increase the action of a neurotransmitter called GABA
This means it makes the receiving neuron less likely to fire, which slows down the brain
Anxiety is therefore reduced and the obsessive thoughts in OCD

54
Q

What is CBT recommended by?

A

NICE

55
Q

Is CBT goal oriented and is it quick or slow?

A

Yes- is goal oriented
Relatively quick- a course of CBT runs for 3 months

56
Q

What are the 2 components to CBT?

A

Cognitive component- focuses on changing thought processes
Behavioural component- focuses on changing actions/behaviours

57
Q

What is the aim of CBT?

A

Not to remove the intrusive thoughts but to change the beliefs that they trigger

58
Q

What does CBT begin with?

A

The thoughts that are the least anxiety provoking

59
Q

What is habituation training?

A

The client is asked to think about their obsessive thoughts and they will then become less anxiety provoking and the compulsion is not needed to reduce the anxiety

60
Q

What is the most common behavioural therapy used as part of CBT for OCD?

A

Exposure and response prevention therapy (ERPT)

61
Q

What does ERPT focus on?

A

The compulsions found in OCD- complements the use of cognitive therapy which targets the obsessions

62
Q

What 4 steps make up ERPT?

A

1) informing the client about ERPT and what the therapy will involve
2) using an exposure hierachy- starts with mildly anxiety raising situations and goes through to the highest level of anxiety
3) repeated exposure to situations that cause high anxiety until the level of anxiety reduces
4) getting the client to resist and refrain from performing the compulsive behaviour

A Level Psychology (Psychopathology) (12 decks)

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