the biological approach to treating OCD

Question 1

drug therapy

Answer 1

drug therapy for mental disorders aim to increase or decrease levels of neurotransmitters in the brain or to increase/decrease their activity. low levels of serotonin are associated with OCD, thus drugs work in various ways to increase the level of serotonin in the brain.

Question 2

the standard medical treatment used to tackle the symptoms of OCD…

Answer 2

a particular type of antidepressant drug called a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor SSRI, which works on the serotonin system in the brain.

• it takes 3 to 4 months of daily use to have much impact on symptoms.
• Choey and Scheneier 2008&raquo_space;

Question 3

how do SSRI’s work?

Answer 3

serotonin is released into a synapse from one neuron, targeting receptor cells on the receiving neuron at receptor sites, and afterwards, is re-absorbed by the initial neuron sending the message.

in order to increase levels of serotonin at the synapse, and increase stimulation to the receiving neuron, this re-absorption is inhibited.

Question 4

alternatives to SSRI’s

Answer 4

when an SSRI is not effective after 3/4 months the dose can be increased, or it can be combined with other drugs. alternatives work well for some people.

• tricyclics
• anti-anxiety drugs; BZ

Question 5

tricyclics

Answer 5

i.e. clomipramine which has the same effect on the serotonin system as SSRI’s. they have the advantage of targeting more than one neurotransmitter. ALTHOUGH it has more severe side effects so it is generally kept in reserve for patients who do not respond to SSRIs.

Question 6

anti-anxiety drugs

Answer 6

i.e. benzodiazepines are commonly used to reduce anxiety. BZs slow down the activity of the CNS by enhancing the activity of the neurotransmitter GABA, which when released, has a general quietening effect on many of the neurons in the brain.

Question 7

ao3 points

Answer 7

• unreliable evidence for drug treatments
• drug treatments are preferred to other treatments and are cost-effective and non-disruptive
• side effects

Question 8

ao3 point weakness

Answer 8

unreliable evidence for drug treatments -> publication bias

• TURNER ET AL 2008; evidence of publication bias towards studies that show a positive outcome of antidepressant treatment, exaggerating the benefits of antidepressant drugs. studies that were not positive were often published in a way that conveyed a positive outcome
• drug companies have a strong interest in the continuing success of drugs and much of the research is funded by these companies

-> leads doctors to make innapropriate treatment decisions that may not be in the best interest of patients.

Question 9

ao3 point strength

Answer 9

drug treatments are preferred to other treatments and are cost-effective and non-disruptive.

• therapies such as CBT require the patient to attend regular meetings and put considerable thought into tackling their problems.
• cheaper for the health service because they require little monitoring and cost much less than psychological treatments.

-> more economical for the health service than psychological therapies.

Question 10

ao3 point weakness

Answer 10

side effects

• tricylic antidepressants tend to have more side effects i.e. irregular heartbeat
• effects of BZs include aggressiveness
• problems with addiciton too, so recommendation is that BZ use should be limited to a max. of 4 weeks (ashton 1997)

-> limit the usefulness of drugs as treatments for OCD.