PP- Biological approach to treating OCD

Question 1

What drugs are taken to treat OCD?

Answer 1

Anti-depressants: SSRI drugs

Question 2

What does SSRI stand for?

Answer 2

Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors

E.g =Fluoxetine

Question 3

What do SSRI drugs aim to do?

Answer 3

They aim to prevent the reuptake of serotonin and prolong its activity in the synapse. This helps to regulate mood and reduce anxiety levels in OCD patients.

Question 4

How do SSRI drugs help the orbital frontal cortex?

Answer 4

High levels of serotonin provided by SSRI drugs help the orbital frontal cortex to function at normal levels.

Question 5

What are the strengths of using anti depressants to treat OCD?

Answer 5

1|) Soomro et al 2009 reviewed 17 studies that compared SSRI’s to placebo drugs for treating OCD and found that all SSRI drugs were more effective than placebos, especially when combined with CBT.

2) SSRI’s are relatively cheap and cost effective in comparison to psychological therapies such as CBT. Using SSRI drugs to treat OCD is good value for money for the NHS.

Question 6

What are the weaknesses of using antidepressants to treat OCD?

Answer 6

1) Not a lasting cure
Simpson et al. found 45% of patients treated with clomipramine (SRI) relapsed back into the disorder within 12 weeks of completing medication. compared to 12% relapse rate in the same period for those who had received a psychological therapy. Therefore, this shows how SSRIs are a short term measure and for actual treatment of OCD one should consider other treatments such as CBT

2) They have terrible side effects which might mean that the OCD patient might stop taking the medication. Side effects are temporary but include indigestion, blurred vision and loss of sex drive.

Question 7

how is OCD treated ?

Answer 7

• drug therapy :
• ssris
• combining ssris with cognitive behaviour therapy
• alternatives to ssris: snris and tricyclics

Question 8

snris

Answer 8

seretonin - noradrenaline uptake inhibitors, increase serotonin and noradrenaline
- used when patients don’t respond well to SSRIS

Question 9

ssris

Answer 9

selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors

Question 10

how do ssris work?

Answer 10

works on serotonin system

• released by pre and travels along synapse to post and then its reabsorbed by pre where its broken down and reused
• by preventing reabsorption ssris increase levels of serotonin in synapse and continue to stimulate post

typical daily dose of fluoxetine is 20mg, takes 3-4 months of continuous use to see effects.

Question 11

tricyclics

Answer 11

like clomipramine , have much severe side effects