Psychopathology- Bio treatments for OCD Flashcards
Why are SSRIs used to treat OCD
As low serotonin levels are a possible causal factor of OCD and SSRIs aim to increase the levels of serotonin
How to SSRIs work to alleviate symptoms of OCD
They reduce the rate of re-absorption of serotonin making more available in the synaptic gap
By blocking the transportation of of serotonin from the synapse back into the pre-synaptic neuron what do SSRIs achieve
More serotonin floating around the the synaptic space, helping to reduce OCD symptoms
What is down regulation in reference to serotonin
When some serotonin receptors on the dendrites that are actually inhibitory reduce in number.
How do anti anxiety drugs work to reduce symptoms of OCD
These drugs work by boosting the power of the inhibitory NT GABA. This slows down all brain communication and has a widespread calming effect, helping to reduce OCD symptoms.
What neurotransmitters do antianxiety meds effect
GABA
Where do beta blocker work
Around the body NOT in the brain
E.g the heart
What do beta blockers do
Block the effects of adrenaline and noradrenaline
Thus preventing the stress reaction and bodily effects of anxiety caused by obsessions and compulsions
What did Soomro et al find in 17 different studies
Patients showed significantly more improvement with SSRIs compared to placebo
Evaluating bio treatments for OCD
-research from Soomro
Typically OCD symptoms decline for 70% of patients taking SSRIs
Soomro et al (2009) found that Pt’s in all 17 different studies reviewed showed significantly more improvement with SSRIs than controls receiving placebo drugs.
This means DRUG treament can effectively reduce symptoms of OCD
Evaluating bio treatments
- side effects
Unwanted side effects may reduce the effectiveness of drug therapy for OCD
drug therapies have unpleasant side effects. For example, indigestion, loss of appetite, dependency, blurred vision and loss of sex drive.
Because of these side effects, some patients may stop taking their medication, reducing the effectiveness of this treatment.
This implies that drug therapies for OCD has an ethical dilemma, as they may not be fully protecting patients from harm
Evaluating bio treatments
-long term effectiveness
Drugs do not offer a permanent solution for the treatment of OCD
Many OCD symptoms may improve with SSRIs, but they do not generally disappear, meaning drug treatments for OCD are only partially successful.
Furthermore, when Patients stop taking the drugs symptoms often return, leaving the patient dependent on the drugs to remain symptom free
This implies that drug treatments for OCD have significant weaknesses and perhaps more psychological based therapies (e.g. CBT) would be more helpful in the long term
Evaluating bio treatments
-scientific
The drugs mode of action is very objective and measurable in scientific and falsifiable ways
For instance, the action of antidepressants on serotonin can be studied through sophisticated PET scans and examining cerebrospinal fluids
This means that drug therapy for OCD is an attractive option that does not revolve around subjectivity
