psychopathology 1.5

Question 1

what is the biological approach known as?

Answer 1

medical model as it explains all behaviour through our biology

Question 2

how does biological approach explain OCD?

Answer 2

abnormal biological processes

Question 3

genetic explanations

Answer 3

hereditary influences transmitted from parent to offspring by genetic transmission

Question 4

polygenic

Answer 4

this means OCD is not caused by one single gene but by a combination of genetic variations that together cause significantly increased vulnerability

Question 4

candidate genes

Answer 4

genes that create vulnerability to OCD

Question 5

what did Taylor (2013) find?

Answer 5

evidence from previous studies that there are up to 230 different genes which may be involved with OCD

(there are different types of genes that cause OCD and one gene variation or group of genes may cause it in one person, but another sufferer of OCD could have a different variation of genes)

Question 6

which genes have been studied in relation to OCD?

Answer 6

dopamine and serotonin

Question 7

roles of dopamine and serotonin

Answer 7

a role in regulating mood

Question 8

what did Tukel et al (2013) suggest?

Answer 8

a variation of the COMT gene may contribute to OCD as it is more common in patients who suffer from OCD than in those that do not

this variation produces higher levels of dopamine and lower activity of the COMT gene

Question 9

how has the 5-HTT gene been linked with OCD?

Answer 9

it affects the levels of serotonin, making them less and these lower levels of the neurotransmitter are linked with OCD

Question 10

strengths of genetic explanations of OCD

Answer 10

a strong evidence base of research, especially within twin studies.

Nestadt et al. (2010) reviewed evidence that 68% of identical twins will both have OCD compared to 31% of non-identical twins. Marini et al (2012) found a person with a family member diagnosed with OCD is around 4 times as likely to develop it as someone without

This is a significant link to show that genetics play an important role in the development of OCD and that nature (in the nature/nurture debate) is shown to play a large role here

Grootheest et al. (2005) found their genetic link was stronger in children that were sufferers of OCD

Question 11

limitations of genetic explanations of OCD

Answer 11

ignores environmental factors, although twin studies are used as there is a greater genetic link, these twins also share the same environment, which could trigger OCD

there is evidence to suggest that identical twins are treated ‘more similar’ in terms of their environment, (e.g. expectations, style of dress, extracurricular activities) than non-identical twins who are treated more as individuals

Pato et al. (2001) noted that although there does seem to be a genetic link between OCD sufferers, there is not enough understanding about the actual genetic mechanisms causing OCD

Grootheest et al. (2005) found that the genetic link was stronger in children that were sufferers of OCD, than when the OCD originated in adulthood, showing the probability of different causes

Question 12

neural explanations of OCD

Answer 12

OCD can also be explained through neural connections and the imbalance or damage these can have

the explanation links to the genetic difference that has been found in OCD sufferers, where the gene, influences the levels of key neurotransmitters and the structures in the brain.

Question 13

what might have caused the neural damage?

Answer 13

may have been caused by illnesses that affect the immune system, such as different bacterias

Question 14

serotonin

Answer 14

known to play a role in regulating mood

Question 15

what happens if a person has low levels of serotonin?

Answer 15

the person can have low moods and other mental processes are often affected

reduction of serotonin can explain some cases of OCD

Question 16

in people with OCD, what are their dopamine levels like?

Answer 16

abnormally high

Question 17

the orbital Frontal Cortex (OFC)

Answer 17

sends signals to the thalamus about things that are worrying you

this area of the brain is overactive in people who suffer from OCD

Question 18

the thalamus

Answer 18

the part of the brain that instructs the person to do a certain activity or behaviour

in OCD sufferers, this would be the OCD behaviour

Question 19

the caudate nucleus

Answer 19

the part of the brain that in non-OCD suffers, surprises the messages from the OFC, and normalises the worry, however, in OCD suffers, this part of the brain is not completing this job and allows the OFC to make the sufferer worry

this could be due to damage or overstimulation

Question 20

what have some forms of OCD been linked with?

Answer 20

poor decision making

Question 21

what causes poor decision making?

Answer 21

which could be down to abnormal functioning in the lateral parts of the frontal lobes. (the parts of the brain responsible for logical thinking and making decisions)

Question 22

strengths of neural explanations for OCD

Answer 22

antidepressants such as SSRIs, which are used to control levels of serotonin, are seen to be effective in reducing OCD symptoms, which would support the idea of an imbalanced neural network

Question 23

limitations of neural explanations of OCD

Answer 23

there is evidence that environmental triggers can play a large role in triggering OCD, one study found over half the participants had suffered a traumatic event, and this led to their OCD.

not all OCD sufferers respond positively to antidepressants ( serotonin levelers), which would show it is not the neural network causing OCD in those patients.

Question 24

what does drug therapy for mental disorders aim to do?

Answer 24

increase or decrease levels of neurotransmitters in the brain or to increase/decrease their activity

low levels of serotonin associated with OCD

therefore, drugs work in various ways to increase level of serotonin in the brain

Question 25

what do selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) do?

Answer 25

prevent reabsorption and breakdown of serotonin in the brain

this increases its levels in the synapse and thus serotonin continues to stimulate the post synaptic neuron

this compensates for whatever is wrong with serotonin system in OCD

Question 26

what speed does reuptake happen in people with OCD?

Answer 26

too fast

Question 27

typical dosages

Answer 27

typical daily dose of fluoxetine (an SSRI) is 20mg

this may be increased if not benefitting person

Question 28

how long does it take for daily use of drug therapy to work?

Answer 28

3-4 months

Question 29

combining SSRIs with CBT

Answer 29

the drugs reduce a person’s emotional symptoms such as feeling anxious or depressed

this means they can engage more effectively with CBT

Question 30

describe SNRIs

Answer 30

serotonin noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors

work in a similar way to SSRIs, but as well as increasing levels of serotonin they also increase another transmitter noradrenaline

Question 31

describe tricyclics

Answer 31

reserved for those that SSRIs do not work for

an older antidepressant and has more severe side effects than SSRIs so is only used on those that other drug therapies have not worked

Question 32

strength of biological treatments for OCD - practical application

Answer 32

drug treatments

if one of key factors involved in OCD is (for example) lower levels of serotonin because of the mutation of the SERT gene then this knowledge can lead to drugs being prescribed to correct imbalance

one particular form of drugs that have been used are called SSRIs

SSRI medication, successfully used to reduce OCD symptoms and therefore shows the value that the biological explanation has in helping to improve the lives of people suffering from OCD

Question 33

strength of biological treatments for OCD - cost effective and non disruptive

Answer 33

cheap compared to psychological treatments, therefore good value for NHS

non disruptive to people’s lives

if you wish, can simply take drugs until symptoms decline rather than spending time going to therapy

many doctors and people with OCD prefer drug treatments

Question 34

limitation of biological treatments for OCD - serious side effects

Answer 34

minority of people taking SSRIs get no benefit

some people also experience side effects such as indigestion, blurred vision and loss of sex drive

for those taking clomipramine side effects are more common and can be more serious
more than 1 in 10 people experience erection problems and weight gain

quality of life is poor, may stop taking drugs altogether, reducing effectiveness of treatment

Question 35

limitation of biological treatments for OCD - deterministic

Answer 35

this is because is states that OCD is determined or caused by internal biological factors such as genetics or neural factors

as a result, people who are suffering with OCD have no control over their behaviour, they have no free will and are unable to change

this is a rather pessimistic view of the condition as it implies that they can’t improve and their behaviours are inevitable

it could be argued that this deterministic view could further add to anxiety that those suffering with OCD already experience

therefore, suggests that the biological explanations are rather limited in its view of OCD because of the lack of choice it sees people have to manage it