psychopathology lesson 12

Question 1

dopamine

Answer 1

neurotransmitter that affects mood and might be cause of ocd
OCD sufferers have high levels of dopamine
research conducted on animals found that high doses of drugs that enhance dopamine levels endure movements that resemble OCD

Question 2

serotonin

Answer 2

neurotransmitter that affects mood
frontal lobes have been linked to serotonin activity
OCD sufferers have low serotonin and this causes depressive symptoms and obsessive thoughts
operates caudate nucleus and low levels leads to nucleus malfunction

Question 3

evaluation of dopamine and serotonin

Answer 3

strengths: research support to say neurotransmitters cause OCD. anti depressants increase serotonin which has reduced OCD symptoms therefore low serotonin can lead to OCD.
ciccerone found giving patients low doses of risperidone lowered dopamine and lessened OCD symptoms. menzies compared ocd patients and immediate relatives to control brains using MRI scan and found The patients had more grey matter.
weaknesses: neurotransmitter levels may not cause OCD but neurotransmitter levels may be the effect. not clear whether low serotonin causes depression ocd or both. not enough research for dopamine as high levels can also lead to schizophrenia.

Question 4

what is the COMT gene

Answer 4

COMT gene regulates the production of dopamine where high levels are associated with OCD. More common in OCD patients

Question 5

what is the SERT gene

Answer 5

affects transportation of serotonin which results in low levels and so low mood

Question 6

evaluation of COMT AND SERT gene

Answer 6

advantages: nestadt found that people who had first degree relative who already had OCD were five times more likely to get OCD which shows it is genetically transmitted.
disadvantages: concordance rate is not 100% so is not entirely caused by genetic factors.