The Biological Approach to Explaing OCD

Question 1

What is the genetic explanation of OCD?

Answer 1

suggests OCD characteristics are
result of particular genes that children inherit from their parents

Question 2

What have family studies shown?

Answer 2

-relatives of OCD sufferers have greater tendency to suffer from OCD and anxiety-related problems.

Question 3

How is OCD transmitted?

Answer 3

disorder seems to be transmitted
through families, passed on from parents to offspring via DNA, which indicates a possible genetic contribution to OCD

Question 4

What did Pauls et al (2005) find?

Answer 4

10% of people with a first degree
relative with OCD also suffered from the disorder compared to 2% of people in the general population.

Question 5

What is the second biological explanation of OCD?

Answer 5

Candidate genes

Question 6

What are candidate genes?

Answer 6

specific genes that have been identified that create a vulnerability for OCD

Question 7

What is one possible gene for OCD?

Answer 7

the SERT gene, which when mutated, affects the transport of serotonin, creating lower levels of this neurotransmitter.

Question 8

What happens if serotonin is low?

Answer 8

-it prevents communication between the brain’s deeper structures and the front part of the brain, which triggers OCD.

Question 9

What type of gene is more common in ocd patients and what does it do?

Answer 9

-a low activity COMT gene
-leads to higher dopamine levels.

Question 10

What do high dopamine levels in the dopamine pre frontal cortex do?

Answer 10

cause anticipation of reward, driving the individual to seek rewards and this leads tocompulsions.