The biological approach to treating OCD

Question 1

drug therapy

Answer 1

treatment involving drugs

Question 2

SSRIs

Answer 2

• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor
• SSRIs prevent the reabsorption of serotonin in the brain
• This increases the levels in the synapse and this serotonin continue to stimulate the post synaptic neuron
  this compensates for whatever’s wrong with serotonin system
• Typical dosage is 20 mg May be increased if it’s not benefiting the patient
  Takes 3-4months of daily use for SSRIs to impact upon symptoms

Question 3

Combining SSRIs with other treatments

Answer 3

• Drugs are often used alongside CBT to treat OCD
• The decrease in negative emotions due to drugs makes it easier to partake in CBT

Question 4

Alternatives to SSRIs

Answer 4

• Tricyclics such as clomipramine - same effect on serotonin system as SSRI but with more severe side effects So it’s generally kept in reserve a patient who do not respond to SSRIs
• SNRIs - serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor,
  increases levels of serotonin and also increase noradrenaline levels

Question 5

Strength of the biological approach to treating OCD

Answer 5

• There is clear evidence for the effectiveness of SSRIs in reducing the severity of OCD symptoms and so improving quality of life for OCD patients
• SOOMRO et al 2009 reviewed studies comparing SSRIS to placebos in the treatment of OCD and concluded that all 17 studies reviewed showed significantly better results for the SSRIs than for placebo conditions
  effectiveness is greatest when SSRIs combined with psychological treatment usually CBT
• typically symptoms declined significantly for around 70% of patients taking SSRI
  of the remaining 30% alternative drug treatment or combination of drugs and psychological treatment will be effective for some
• so drugs can help most patients with OCD

Question 6

strength to the biological approach to treating OCD - cheap

Answer 6

• they are generally cheap compared to psychological treatment
• using drugs to treat OCD is therefore good value for a public health system like the NHS
• as compared to psychological therapies SSRs are also non disruptive to patients lives
• if you wish you can simply take drugs until your symptoms decline and not engage with the hard work or psychological therapy
• many doctors and patients like drug treatments for these reasons

Question 7

Limitation to the biological approach to treating OCD - serious side effects

Answer 7

limitation: serious sude effects

• although drugs are often helpful to sufferers of OCD a significant minority will get no benefit
• some patients also suffer side-effects such as indigestion blurred vision and loss of sex drive
• the side-effects are usually temporary
  for those taking clomipramine side-effects are more common and can be more serious
• more than 1 in 10 patients suffer erection problems tremors and weight gain
  more than 1 in 100 become aggressive and suffer disruption to blood pressure and heart rhythm such factors reduce effectiveness because people stop taking the medication

Question 8

Limitation to the biological approach to treating OCD - biased evidence

Answer 8

limitation: biased evidence

• although SSRI are fairly effective and any side-effects will probably be short-term like all drug treatments they have some controversy attached
• for example some psychologist believe that the evidence favouring drug treatment is biased because the research is sponsored by drug companies who do not report all the evidence GOLDACRE 2013

Question 9

Process of synaptic transmission

Answer 9

Step 1: this is a neurone. for neuron to communicate with another neuron. It sends a chemical messenger - neurotransmitters
Step 2: when an electrical impulse reaches the end of presynaptic neuron, it triggers the release of a neurotransmitter forms, tiny sacs called vesicles
Step 3: the neurotransmitters are released, and the cross the synaptic gap. Take up to reach the next new taken up by dendrites of the post synaptic neuron
Step 4: process begins all over again in the post synaptic neuron
Step 5: the effects are terminated by a process called re uptake. The neurotransmitters are taken up by the presynaptic neuron where they are stored in the synaptic vesicles ready for later release.