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AQA Psychology - Psychopathology > The Biological Approach to Treating OCD > Flashcards

The Biological Approach to Treating OCD Flashcards

1
Q

What is the biological approach to treating OCD?

A

Drug therapy

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2
Q

What is the aim of drug therapy?

A

To increase or decrease levels of neurotransmitters in the brain or to increase or lower their activity

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3
Q

What is SSRI?

A

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor

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4
Q

What is the most common medical treatment to tackle symptoms of OCD?

A

SSRI

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5
Q

What does SSRI prevent?

A

-Prevents reabsorption and breakdown of serotonin in the brain

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6
Q

What does preventing the reabsorption of serotonin do to the postsynaptic neuron ?

A

Increases the levels of serotonin so continuous stimulation to the postsynaptic neuron

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7
Q

What can SSRI also be known as?

A

Fluoxetine

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8
Q

What is the typical dosage of fluoxetine?

A

20 mg but can be increased if not benefiting

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9
Q

How long can it take for SSRI to impact the symptoms?

A

3-4 months of daily use

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10
Q

What can you combine SSRI with?

A

CBT (cognitive behaviour therapy)

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11
Q

What happens if you combine SSRI with CBT?

A
  • Drug reduces a patients emotional symptoms

- Patients can engage more effectively with CBT

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12
Q

What is an alternative to SSRIs?

A
  • Tricylics

- SNRIs

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13
Q

What is the effect of tricyclics?

A

Same effect but more serious side effects

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14
Q

What is SNRIs?

A

Serotonin noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor

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15
Q

What does SNRI increase levels of?

A
  • Serotonin

- Noradrenaline

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16
Q

Which drugs act as a second line of defence SSRI, SNRI or tricyclics?

A

SNRI and Tricyclics

17
Q

What did Soomro et al (2009) do?

A
  • Compared SSRI to placebos

- SSRI showed a significantly better result

18
Q

Why is drug therapy cost-effective and non-disruptive compared to psychological therapies?

A
  • Psychological therapies take a large amount of time whilst drug therapies you just have to take a tablet
  • Much cheaper to get tablets than a hire a therapist
19
Q

Why is it a limitation for there being side-effects of the drug therapies?

A

As reduces effectiveness as people stop taking them

20
Q

What are the side effects of SSRIs?

A
  • Indigestion
  • Blurred vision
  • Loss of sex drive
21
Q

Why is the drug therapy unreliable?

A
  • Possible that drug treatment is biased due to sponsoring of drug companies
  • Evidence against may be suppressed
22
Q

What can cause OCD other than a biological reason?

23
Q

Why is it a problem to use drug therapy to treat a person with OCD if they had previous trauma?

A

As a psychological therapy may be better suited

AQA Psychology - Psychopathology (10 decks)

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