the biological approach to treating OCD Flashcards
what therapy is mainly used for OCD
Drug therapy for mental disorders aims to increase or decrease levels of neurotransmitters in the brain or to increase/ decrease their activity
low levels of serotonin are associated with OCD
Therefore drugs work in various ways to increase the level of serotonin
what is the main drug used to treat OCD
SSRIs
what are SSRIs
the standard treatment to tackle the symptoms of OCD involves a particular type of antidepressant drug called a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (or SSRI for short)
how do SSRIs work
SSRIs work on the serotonin system in the brain
Serotonin is released by certain neurons in the brain
It is released by the presynaptic neurons and travels across a synapse
The neurotransmitter chemically convey the signal from the presynaptic neuron to the postsynaptic neuron and then it is reabsorbed by the presynaptic neuron where it is broken down and re-used
by preventing the re-absorption and breakdown of serotonin SSRIs effectively increase its level in the synapse and thus continue to stimulate the postsynaptic neuron
This compensates for whatever is wrong with the serotonin system in OCD
what are is the dosage of SSRIs
dosages and other advice vary according to which SSRI is prescribed
A typical daily dose of Fluoxetine is 20mg although this may be increased if it is not benefiting the patient
The drug is available as a capsule or liquid
how many months does it take for SSRIs to have an effect on OCD symptoms
It takes three to four months of daily use for SSRIs to have much impact on symptoms
when do we combine SSRIs with other drugs
drugs are often used alongside cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) to that OCD
the drugs reduce a patient’s emotional symptoms, such as feeling anxious or depressed
This means that such as feeling anxious or depressed
This means that patients can engage more effectively with the CBT
In practice, some people respond best to CBT alone whilst others benefit more from drugs. e.g. Fluoxetine
Occasionally other drugs are prescribed alongside SSRIs
what are some different alternates to SSRIs
where SSRI is not effective after 3 to 4 months the dose can be increased (up to 60mg a drug for fluoxetine) or it can be combined with other drugs
sometimes different antidepressants:
tricyclics
SNRIs
Clomipramine
what are tricyclics
an older type of antidepressant is sometimes used e.g. Clomipramine
they have the same effect on the serotonin system as SSNRIs clomipramine has more severe side effects than SSRIs so it is generally kept in reservee for patients who do not respond to SSRIs
what are SNRIs
SNRIs stands for serotonin - noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors
In the last five years, a different class of antidepressant drugs called SNRIs has also been used to treat OCD These are, like Clomipramine, the second line of defence for patients who don' respond to SSRIs
SNRIs increase the level of serotonin as well as other different neurotransmitter - noradrenaline
