Psychopathology - explaining ocd

Question 1

What type of disorder is ocd

Answer 1

An anxiety disorder

Question 2

What does a sufferer of ocd experience

Answer 2

Persistent intrusive thoughts which lead to compulsions

Question 3

What do these obsessions and compulsions interfere with

Answer 3

Everyday functioning

Question 4

Why do people with ocd repeat behaviours

Answer 4

Because thoughts can be unpleasant or frightening

Question 5

What do these behaviours provide

Answer 5

Temporary relief

Question 6

What are obsessions

Answer 6

The persistent thoughts, ideas or mental images that sufferers experience that aren’t real but lead to extreme anxiety

Question 7

What are compulsions

Answer 7

The uncontrollable behaviours that are repeatedly performed in an attempt the reduce anxiety

Question 8

What are 3 behavioural characteristics of ocd

Answer 8

Compulsions, excessive washing and hoarding

Question 9

What are 3 emotional characteristics of ocd

Answer 9

Anxiety, fear of contamination and distress

Question 10

What are 2 cognitive characteristics of ocd

Answer 10

Obsessions, biases in attention.

Question 12

How does the biological approach explain ocd

Answer 12

OCD is caused by an innate difference in the anatomy of the brain or it’s functioning

Question 13

What do family studies show about ocd

Answer 13

That relatives of ocd sufferers have a greater tendency to suffer from ocd

Question 14

What did twin studies find about OCD

Answer 14

53-87% between MZ twins and 22-47% for DZ twins

Question 15

What do these studies strongly indicate

Answer 15

General vulnerability plays a part in development of ocd

Question 16

Which genes are thought to be implicated

Answer 16

COMT and SERT

Question 17

What is the role of the COMT gene

Answer 17

Activation of dopamine

Question 18

What is the role of sert gene

Answer 18

Affects transport of serotonin

Question 19

How do genetics play a role in ocd

Answer 19

It influences the brains structure and function

Question 20

what makes up the cortico-basal ganglia circuit

Answer 20

Basal ganglia and orbits-frontal cortex

Question 21

What process sensory input

Answer 21

OFC

Question 22

What evaluates the generated thought

Answer 22

Basal ganglia

Question 23

What does the basal ganglia decide

Answer 23

If an action is required by the OFC

Question 24

What does the basal ganglia contribute to

Answer 24

Voluntary motor planning, actions and habit formation

Question 25

What is thought to be wrong with the basal ganglia in OCD

Answer 25

It may not be filtering properly so thoughts which shouldn’t generate actions are being allowed to do so

Question 26

Why is low levels of serotonin thought to be a cause of ocd

Answer 26

Because drug therapies involving serotonin have been proved to alleviate some symptoms of ocd

Question 28

What is a positive evaluation into neuroanatomical ocd

Answer 28

Abundance of research evidence

Question 29

Negative evaluation neuroanatomical into ocd

Answer 29

Research is contradictory and ignores the role of the environment

Question 30

Positive evaluation of neurochemical explanations into ocd

Answer 30

Use of anti-depressant (SSRI’s) has been shown to be effective

Question 31

Negative evaluation of neruochemcial explanations of ocd

Answer 31

Direction of causality is unclear as imbalance of serotonin may be an effect rather than a cause