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Psychology: Psychopathology > The biological approach to treating OCD > Flashcards

The biological approach to treating OCD Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the common biological treatment of OCD?

A

Drug therapy

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2
Q

What is the most commonly prescribed drug for OCD?

A

Antidepressants

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3
Q

What is the premise of using antidepressants to treat OCD?

A

They increase serotonin levels

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4
Q

What does SSRI stand for?

A

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors

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5
Q

What do SSRIs do?

A

Increase serotonin levels

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6
Q

How do SSRIs work?

A

They block the serotonin reuptake sites on the pre-synaptic membrane, which forces serotonin to bind to the post-synaptic membrane

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7
Q

What is tricyclic clomipramine?

A

An antidepressant used to treat OCD

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8
Q

How do tricyclics work?

A

They block the transporter mechanism that reabsorbs serotonin and noradrenaline

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9
Q

Why are tricyclics advantageous?

A

They target more than one neurotransmitter

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10
Q

Why are tricyclics disadvantageous?

A

They have greater side effects

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11
Q

What are benzodiazepines?

A

Anti-anxiety drugs

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12
Q

What do benzodiazepines do?

A

Slow down the activity of the CNS

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13
Q

How do benzodiazepines slow down the activity of the CNS?

A

They enhance the activity of a neurotransmitter called GABA

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14
Q

What effect does GABA have?

A

It has a general quietening effect on neurons in the brain

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15
Q

How does GABA work?

A

It binds to GABA receptors, which causes an influx of chloride ions

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16
Q

What effect do chloride ions have on neurons?

A

They make it harder for the neuron to be stimulated

17
Q

What is D-Cycloserine>

A

An antibiotic used to treat tuberculosis, which enhances GABA transmission

18
Q

What are the 4 AO3 points of the biological approach to treating OCD?

A

1) Side effects
2) Effectiveness
3) Realistic treatment
4) Publication bias

19
Q

What are common side effects of SSRIs? (3)

A

Nausea, headaches and insomnia

20
Q

Why do side effects limit the effectiveness of drug therapy?

A

They can drive people to stop taking their drugs

21
Q

What are the side effects of tricyclics?

A

Hallucinations and arrhythmias

22
Q

What type of behaviour can benzodiazepines cause?

A

Aggressive behaviour

23
Q

Why are benzodiazepines problematic?

A

They are addictive

24
Q

How many studies were included in the meta-analysis that investigated the effectiveness of SSRIs on treating OCD?

A

17

25
Q

What did the meta-analysis that investigated the effectiveness of SSRIs on treating OCD find?

A

That SSRIs were more effective at reducing the symptoms of OCD compared to placebo drugs

26
Q

What is the limitation of the studies in the SSRI meta-analysis?

A

Most of the studies only had a duration of 3-4 months, so the long term effects are unknown

27
Q

What doesn’t drug therapy require that CBT does?

A

Effort and time

28
Q

Why are drug therapies cheaper for the NHS?

A

They require much less monitoring and cost much less than psychological treatments

29
Q

Why may CBT be more cost effective than drug therapy in the long run?

A

They equip patients with the skills to challenge their disorder, whereas drug therapy provides temporary relief

30
Q

In terms of drug therapy as a treatment of OCD, what is there a publication bias towards?

A

Studies that show a positive outcome of antidepressants

31
Q

In what way is there a publication bias towards positive outcomes of antidepressants?

A

Positive outcomes were over exaggerated + studies that found non-positive results were often published in a way that conveyed a positive outcomes

32
Q

Who typically funds research into drug theraoy?

A

Big drug companies

33
Q

Why is it in drug companies best interests for drug therapies to have positive outcomes?

A

It benefits them financially

Psychology: Psychopathology (8 decks)

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