Psychopathology- The Biological Approach to OCD

Question 1

What are the three genetic explanations for explaining OCD?

Answer 1

Candidate genes, OCD is polygenic and different types of OCD

Question 2

What are candidate genes?

Answer 2

Genes that have been identified to create vulnerability to OCD

Question 3

What does it mean that OCD is polygenic?

Answer 3

OCD is not caused by one gene but a combination of genetic variations

Question 4

How are different types of OCD a genetic explanation?

Answer 4

One group of genes may cause OCD in one person but a different group of genes may cause OCD in another

Question 5

What is a strength of the genetic explanation?

Answer 5

Research support in twin studies that show 68% of MZ twins shared OCD and 31% of DZ twins shared OCD

Question 6

What are the neural explanations of OCD?

Answer 6

The role of serotonin and decision-making circuits

Question 7

How is the role of serotonin a neural explanation for OCD?

Answer 7

Serotonin regulates mood and in a person with OCD may have a faulty serotonin systems

Question 8

How are decision-making systems a neural explanation of OCD?

Answer 8

Could be impaired functioning of lateral frontal lobes that are involved in decision making and logical thinking, or left parahippocampal gyrus which is involved in processing unpleasant emotions

Question 9

What is a weakness of the genetic explanation for OCD?

Answer 9

Environmental risk factors as OCD does not appear to be entirely genetic in origin and there must be environmental risk factors

Question 10

What is a strength of the neural explanation of OCD?

Answer 10

Research support which shows that antidepressants that target serotonin help to reduce OCD symptoms

Question 11

What is a weakness of the neural explanation of OCD?

Answer 11

There is no unique neural system- many people with OCD also have depression which probably involves serotonin

Question 12

How is OCD treated?

Answer 12

Drug therapy

Question 13

What are SSRIs?

Answer 13

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are a types of antidepressant drug that increase the availability of serotonin

Question 14

What do SSRIs do?

Answer 14

Prevent the reuptake of serotonin in the synaptic cleft which means there’s more serotonin available to the next neuron

Question 15

What are advantages of drug therapy to treat OCD?

Answer 15

• Research support

- SSRIs are more effective than other antidepressants

Question 16

What are disadvantages of drug therapy to treat OCD?

Answer 16

• Relapse rate

- Side effects