OCD and Explanations for OCD

Question 1

What does OCD stand for:

Answer 1

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Question 2

What is OCD:

Answer 2

It is an anxiety disorder characterised by obsessions and/or compulsions according to the DSM-5

Question 3

State the two required symptoms of OCD:

Answer 3

• Obsessions
• Compulsions

Question 4

Explain Obsessions:

Answer 4

• recurrent and persistent thoughts which are intrusive and unwanted
• lead to anxiety and distress
• neutralised through another thought/ action

Question 5

Explain Compulsions:

Answer 5

• Repetitive behaviour (e.g. checking door) or mental action (e.g. counting)
• done in response to obsessions - reduce anxiety
• often excessive, can be unrealistic

Question 6

Describe two differences between obsessions and compulsions:

Answer 6

Obsessions are recurrent and persistent thoughts WHEREAS compulsions are repetitive behaviours or mental actions
Obsessions lead to anxiety and distress WHEREAS compulsions are done in response to obsessions to reduce anxiety.

Question 7

What are the 3 characteristics of OCD:

Answer 7

• Cognitive
• Behavioural
• Emotional

Question 8

State all 6 COGNITIVE characteristics of OCD:

Answer 8

• Recurrent and persistent thoughts
• Insight into excessive anxiety
• Selective attention
• Increased awareness of certain stimuli
• Hypervigilance
• Catastrophic thinking

Question 9

Explain Recurrent and persistent thoughts:

Answer 9

Sufferers experience constantly repeated obsessive thoughts, images and ideas of an intrusive nature. They are uncontrollable and cause distress.

Question 10

Explain Insight into excessive anxiety:

Answer 10

Sufferers are aware that their obsessions and compulsions are not rational. In fact- this is necessary for a diagnosis of OCD. If someone really believed their obsessive thoughts were based on reality - symptom of different form of mental disorder.

Question 11

Explain Selective attention:

Answer 11

Increased awareness of source of obsession in new situations

Question 12

Explain Increased awareness of certain stimuli

Answer 12

Sufferers have an increased awareness of certain stimuli, causing obsessions, while ignoring other equally relevant stimuli

Question 13

Explain Hypervigilance:

Answer 13

Sufferers constantly on lookout for threats, both real and imagined. Hyperaware of surroundings, scanning for potential dangers at all times.

Question 14

Explain Catastrophic thinking:

Answer 14

Sufferers assume that the very worst will happen in situations if they do not perform their compulsions e.g. “Someone will break in if I don’t lock my door 4 times over.”

Question 15

State the 2 behavioural characteristics: (Compulsions)

Answer 15

• Compulsions are repetitive
• Compulsions reduce anxiety

Question 16

Explain Compulsions are repetitive:

Answer 16

Sufferers feel compelled to repeat behaviours as a response to their obsessive thoughts, ideas and images. E.g. washing hands repeatedly

Question 17

Explain Compulsions reduce anxiety:

Answer 17

The vast majority of compulsive behaviours are performed in an attempt to manage the anxiety produced by obsessions. Performing these helps reduce the anxiety. E.g. checking if door is locked makes them feel better

Question 18

State the 2 emotional characteristics:

Answer 18

• Anxiety and distress
• Guilt and disgust

Question 19

Explain the emotional characteristic - Anxiety and distress:

Answer 19

• obsessive thoughts are unpleasant and frightening and the anxiety that goes with these can be overwhelming. The urge to repeat a behaviour (a compulsion) creates anxiety

Question 20

Explain the emotional characteristic - Guilt and disgust:

Answer 20

• OCD often involves irrational guilt, e.g. over a minor moral issue. Or it may cause disgust towards external things like dirt or germs.

Question 21

What is the genetic explanation for OCD: (biological approach)

Answer 21

The genetic explanation centres on OCD being inherited through genetic transmission. - we inherit OCD from our parents and OCD is acquired from specific genes being assed on. The genes that increase the likelihood of having OCD are known as candidate genes.

Question 22

What are candidate genes?

Answer 22

Specific genes associated with a disorder

Question 23

Explain how candidate genes lead to OCD + Ozaki

Answer 23

• specific genes lead to a vulnerability for OCD called OCD candidate genes. e.g. 5-HTT (SERT gene) which is responsible for transportation of serotonin in a neuron
• inheriting a faulty 5-HTT gene leads to disruption to transportation of serotonin - leading to low levels of serotonin in the synapse
• Ozaki et al (2003) found mutation of 5-HTT gene in families where 6/7 ppl had OCD.

Question 24

Define Polygenic:

Answer 24

Caused by more than one gene

Question 25

Explain Polygenic:

Answer 25

Other researchers believe OCD is too complex a disorder to be caused by one gene. Believe OCD may be polygenic disorder
- Taylor (2013) did a meta-analysis and found evidence of up to 230 different genes involved in OCD

Question 26

Weakness: too simplistic + the diathesis stress model might offer a better explanation.

Answer 26

For example, according to this model certain genes leave the individual more vulnerable to OCD. To develop the symptoms of OCD - there needs also to be an environmental trigger (stressor). ** Ex - Shows - OCD cannot entirely be genetic in origin + traumatic events play a crucial role too - to truly understand the causes of OCD - need a holistic approach that considers both genetic + environmental factors
L- undermines validity of genetic explanation - incomplete
* Cromer et al (2007) - over half patients w/OCD in their sample has had a traumatic experience in their past + OCD was more severe in those with more than 1 trauma.

Question 27

P - Strength: supporting evidence - twin studies.

Answer 27

Ev - Nestadt et al - reviewed previous twin studies into OCD - found 68% MZ CR + 31% DZ CR
Ex - Shows - as the prop of shared genes increase from DZ twins (50%) to MZ twins (100%) - likelihood of both twins developing OCD also increases. - OCD develops due to genetic factors + is inherited:
L - Adds validity to genetic explanation of OCD

Question 28

State the two neural explanations for OCD:

Answer 28

• Abnormal levels of neurotransmitters
• Abnormal brain circuits

Question 29

Explain how Abnormal levels of neurotransmitters lead to OCD:

Answer 29

• Serotonin is responsible for regulating mood by facilitating synaptic transmission from one neuron to another
• OCD- serotonin is removed too quick from synapse so no chance to pass o signal to the Post synaptic neuron
• This low level of serotonin leads to issues with mood associated w/ OCD
• Also dopamine levels are abnormally high in OCD linked with anxiety people with OCD experinece

Question 30

Explain how Abnormal brain circuits lead to OCD:

Answer 30

• Several areas in the frontal lobes of the brain are thought to be abnormal in people w/ OCD
• One of roles of the ORBITO frontal cortex - send worry signals to THALAMUS e.g. when we come across a potential germ hazard
• This is mediated by CAUDATE NUCLEUS in BASAL GANGLIA which suppresses minor worry signals and prevents us from acting on every little worry allows major signals to pass to the thalamus which initiates a reaction
• However in ppl with OCD - CAUDATE NUCLEUS is HYPERSENSITIVE - all major and minor worry signals sent from OFC to THALAMUS which confirms and receives minor signals too- creating a worry circuit.

Question 31

Strength: practical applications in the use of SSRIs

Answer 31

Ev - Led to use of SSRI to treat depression - block the reuptake of serotonin into the pre-syn neuron -prolongs the influence of serotonin on post-syn neuron
- Soomro et al reviewed evidence into the impact of SSRI on OCD - found they were effective in 70% of cases
Ex - As SSRIs = effective treatment - infer that the underlying assumption that the treatment is based must
also be valid.
L- Increases validity of neural explanation of OCD + shows it can improve lives

Question 32

Weakness: supporting evidence is correlational

Answer 32

Ev - this means the evidence cannot be used to establish a cause and effect relationship between serotonin and OCD*
Ex 1 - It could be that low serotonin causes OCD or that having OCD in the first-place causes serotonin levels of deplete
Ex 2 - If former is true - the neural theory = validated. If latter is true, this suggests the initial cause of OCD
may be beyond scope of biological approach - e.g. OCD traits are learned through observation and imitation of compulsive behaviour and reinforcement of this behaviour
L - Therefore this raises questions about the validity of the supporting evidence and neural explanation itself