The Biological approach to treating OCD Flashcards
What is the main biological treatment for OCD?
Antidepressants
What do Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) do which treats OCD and how?
They increase the level of serotonin in the synapses by blocking the reabsorption of it by the presynaptic neuron, which forces the brain to make more, releasing higher quantities into the synapse.
How do SSRIs make it easier for the patient to control feelings of anxiety and reduce the strengths of impulsive thoughts?
The higher levels of serotonin attach to the receptors on the post synaptic neuron.
What are the two common types of SSRi used to treat adults?
Fluoxetine / Prozac
What is the common SSRI used to treat children?
Sertraline
What did Soomro et al. (2009) find out regarding the effectivity of SSRIs compared to placebos?
Found that SSRIs were more effective than placebos in the treatment of OCD in a review of 17 studies. They found that 70% of people can be helped with SSRIs
What is the main issue for antidepressants and why is this an issue?
By taking them patients may suffer from a number of side effects which means that they are more likely to stop taking that antidepressant.
What are the 9 main side effects from antidepressants?
-Feeling or being sick
-Agitation
-Shakiness
-Diarrhoea
-Constipation
-Dizziness
-Blurred vision
-Dry mouth
-Indigestion
Despite cost effectivity of SRRIs what did Shapinakis et al. (2016) find out regarding CBT and exposure therapy?
They found that both CBT + exposure therapy were more effective in the long term and that patients were more likely to be able to live drug free after the psychological therapies.
What is the issue regarding drug treatment that revolves around attrition?
It only lasts for around 3-4 months, with Koran et al (2007) suggesting that it is not long enough to fully assess if the drug has treated ocd .
What did Marina et al (2001) suggest about patients relapsing regarding medication?
Found that patients can relapse within a few weeks if the medication stops, meaning drugs are only treating the symptoms of OCD and not the actual cause.
What is publication bias?
Only positive results are published, if a drug doesn’t have an effect then it isn’t published.
What did Goldacre (2013) find out regarding publication bias?
It is particularly true for antidepressants and that the positive impact of them may be overstated in the publishings, which makes it hard for doctors choosing suitable treatment.
What do serotonin-noradrenaline Reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) do?
Increases the amounts of serotonin and nonadrenaline and are used for patients who cant tolerate SSRIs, or where they’ve been ineffective
What are the two types of anti anxiety medication and how do they work?
Valium and Xanax
They work by increasing the amount of GABA in the brain which slows down the activity and reduces the anxiety a person feels and helps to control the obsessions and associated compulsions
