The biological approach to treating OCD Flashcards

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?

25
What did the meta-analysis that investigated the effectiveness of SSRIs on treating OCD find?
That SSRIs were more effective at reducing the symptoms of OCD compared to placebo drugs
26
What is the limitation of the studies in the SSRI meta-analysis?
Most of the studies only had a duration of 3-4 months, so the long term effects are unknown
27
What doesn't drug therapy require that CBT does?
Effort and time
28
Why are drug therapies cheaper for the NHS?
They require much less monitoring and cost much less than psychological treatments
29
Why may CBT be more cost effective than drug therapy in the long run?
They equip patients with the skills to challenge their disorder, whereas drug therapy provides temporary relief
30
In terms of drug therapy as a treatment of OCD, what is there a publication bias towards?
Studies that show a positive outcome of antidepressants
31
In what way is there a publication bias towards positive outcomes of antidepressants?
Positive outcomes were over exaggerated + studies that found non-positive results were often published in a way that conveyed a positive outcomes
32
Who typically funds research into drug theraoy?
Big drug companies
33
Why is it in drug companies best interests for drug therapies to have positive outcomes?
It benefits them financially