Psychopathology - BIOLOGICAL APPROACH TO TREATING OCD Flashcards
THIS IS ALL ABOUT
DRUG THERAPY
DRUG THERAPY FOR MENTAL DISORDERS AIM to
increase or decrease levels of neurotransmitters in teh brian
or to
increase/decrease tehri activity
low levels of serotinin are asosociated with
OCD
As low levels of serotinin are asosociate dwith OCD , drugs to treat OCD work…
work in various wyas to increase teh leve of serotinin in the brain
standard medical treatment used to tackle symptoms of OCD involve
particular type of antidepressant drug
called a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor
where do SSRI’s work
on serotonin system in the brain
serotinin is relaeased by
certian neurons in teh brian
in particular what neuron is serotinin released by asn wehre does it travel across
presynaptic neurons and travesl across a synapse
after serotonin is released by presynaptc neruosn and travelsa cross a synapse
the neurotransmiterr chemicallt.
the NT chemically conveys the signal from teh presynaptic neuron to the postsyanptic neuron
and then it is reabsorbed by the presynaptic neuron
where its broken down and reused
by preveting the reabsorption and breakdown SSRIs effectivley
increase levels of serotonin in the synapse
and thus continue to stimulate hte post synaptic neuron
by preveting the reabsorption and breakdown SSRIs effectivley
and what does this compensate for
increase levels of serotonin in the synapse and thus continue to stimulate hte post synaptic neuron
this compensates for wjatever is wrong with thte serotnin system in OCD
Dosage and other advice vary according to
which SSRI is prescribed
a typical dose of fluoxetine is
20mg
a typical does of fluoxetine is 20mg although this may be
increased if tis not benefottom the person
SSRI is available as
capsules or liquid
how long doe it take SSRIs to have much impact on symptoms
3- 4 months of daily use
combining SSRIs with other treatments - drugs often used longside what to treat OCD
CBT
combining SSRIs with other treatments - why do drug used alingsdie CBT to treat OCD
drugs reduce persons emotional symptoms
e.g anxiety /depression
so people with OCD can engge more effectivley with CBT
combining SSRIs with other treatments - in practive some people respond best to
Whilst others
CBT alone whislt others benefit more when additionally using drugs like fluoxetine
combining SSRIs with other treatments - occasionaly what is prescribed alongside SSRIs
OTHER DRUGS
ALTERNATIVES to SSRIS - when ssri not efective after 3 -4 months what are the options
dose can be increased
or ssri can be comboed with toehr drugs
ALTERNATIVES to SSRIS - somwtimes differnet antidpressats are tried
people repsond very diferently to….
2 points
different drugs
alternatives work well for some people and not at all for others
ALTERNATIVES to SSRIS - what are the 2 alternative antidepressants
tricyclics
SNRIs
ALTERNATIVES to SSRIS - tricyclics are an older type of
antidepresant
ALTERNATIVES to SSRIS - give an example of a tricyclic
clomipramine
ALTERNATIVES to SSRIS - how do tricyclics work
acts on various systems including serotonin system
where it has same effects as SSRIs
ALTERNATIVES to SSRIS - compare side effects of clomipramine and SSRI and expan
clomipramine/tricyclics got mroe severe side effects than SSRIs
so generally kept in reserve for people who dont repsond to ssris
ALTERNATIVES to SSRIS - what are SNRIs
serotonin noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors q
ALTERNATIVES to SSRIS - true or false SNRIs been used more recently to treat OCD
true
ALTERNATIVES to SSRIS - SNRIs are a diff type of
antidepressant
ALTERNATIVES to SSRIS - SNRIs are a second line of defence for people who
dont repsond to SSRIs
ALTERNATIVES to SSRIS - what do SNRIs increase
levels of serotnin as well as
noradrenaline (a diff neurotransmitter )
strength research support SSRIs
research support for their x
X drug trials compared teh x of SSRIs and a x
Researchers conducted a x of research examining the x of SSRIs and found they were x more x than placebos in treatment of OCD across x diff trials
this supports the use of x treatments espesh x for OCD
But studies such as this are x for only concluding the x term effectiveness of drug treatments with x term effects still to be investigated x
research support for their effectiveness
randomised drug trials compared teh effectiveness of SSRIs and a placebo
somorero et al 2008 conducted a review of research examining the effectiveness of SSRIs and found they were singificantly more effective than placebos in treatment of OCD across 17 diff trials
this supports the use of bio treatments espesh SSRIs for OCD
But studies such as this are criticised for only concluding the shirt term effectiveness of drug treatments with long term effects still to be investigated empirically
limitation - symptoms not cuase
drug treatments criticised for x symptoms of the disorder and not the x
although SSRis work by x lvl of serotnin in the brain whihc reduces x and x symptoms of x it doesnt treat the x x of OCD
Furthermore once a patient x taking teh x , theyre prone to x
therfore x et al suggests that x treatments such as x may be a more effective x solution to provide a lasting x and a potential x
drug treatments criticised for treating symptoms of the disorder and not the cuase
although SSRis work by increasing lvl of serotnin in the brain whihc reduces anxiety and alleviates symptoms of OCD it doesnt treat the underlying cause of OCD
Furthermore once a patient stops taking teh drug , theyre prone to relapse
therfore koran et al suggests that psycholgical treatments such as CBT may be a more effective LT solution to provide a lasting treatment and a potential cure
strenght - preferable to other treatmet s
one of great x of drug therapy is it requires little x from user in terms of x and x
in x therapies such as x require the patient to attend x meetings and put x x into tackling the problem
durg therapies much x for health services as they require little x and cost much x than other x treamtents
these benefits mean drug therapies are more x for the ehalth service
+ also more x than psycho therapies often making em a x choice all around
one of great appeals of drug therapy is it requires little input from user in terms of effort and time
inc contrast therapies such as CBT require the patient to attend regular meetings and put considerable thought into tackling the problem
durg therapies much chepaer for health services as they require little monitoring and cost much less than other psycho treamtents
these benefits mean drug therapies are more econmical for the ehalth service
+ also more attractive than psycho therapies often making em a propular choice all around
