Psychopathology - explaining OCD Flashcards
What are the 2 explanations of explaining OCD?
Genetic and neural
What are genes involved in?
Individual vulnerability of OCD
What did Lewis (1936) observe of his OCD patients?
That 37% had parents with OCD and 21% had siblings with OCD
What does Lewis (1936) study suggest?
That OCD runs in the families, although what is passed on is genetic vulnerability
What are candidate genes?
Genes that create vulnerability for OCD
What are candidate genes involved in?
Regulating the development of the seretonin system
What is the gene 5HT1-D beta implicated in?
The transport of serotonin across synapses
What is OCD?
Polygenic
What does polygenic mean?
That OCD is not caused by one single gene but by a combination of genetic variations that together increase vulnerability
What did Taylor (2013) find?
Evidence that up to 230 different genes may be involved in OCD
What does aetiologically heterogeneous mean?
That the origins of OCD vary from one person to another
What are neurotransmitters responsible for?
Relaying information from one neuron to another
What is impaired decision making associated with?
Abnormal functioning of the lateral of the frontal lobes of the brain
What is one strength of the genetic explanation of OCD?
Research support
What is the evaluation of the genetic explanation of OCD having research support?
P: Strong evidence base
E: Nestadt (2010)- reviewed twin studies- found that 68% of identical twins shared OCD as opposed to 31% of non identical twins
E: Marini & Stebnicki (2012)- a person with a family member of OCD is around 4X likely to develop it
L: Genetic influence
What is one limitation of the genetic explanation of OCD?
Environmental risk factors
What is the evaluation of the genetic explanation of OCD having environmental risk factors?
P: Environmental risk factors
E: Environmental can also increase the risk of developing OCD
E: Cromer (2007)- OCD was more severe in those with one or more traumas
L: Partial explanation
What is one strength of the neural explanation of OCD?
Research support
What is the evaluation of the neural explanation of OCD having research support?
P: Existence of some supporting evidence
E: Antidepressants work purely on serotonin are effective in reducing OCD symptoms
E: May assume the biological processes underlie OCD
L: May be responsible of OCD
What is one limitation of the neural explanation of OCD?
No unique neural system
What is the evaluation of the neural explanation of OCD having no unique neural system?
P: Serotonin-OCD link may not be unique to OCD
E: Having 2 disorders is called co-morbidity
E: serotonin activity is disrupted in many people with OCD as they are depressed as well
L: May not be relevant
