The genetic explanation of OCD Flashcards
what did lewis find, and what does this suggest
he found that of his OCD patients, 37% had parents with OCD and 21% had siblings with it. this suggests OCD is influenced by genetics, and can be heredity
what is the comt gene/what does it do.
it monitors the production of dopamine. in ocd people the gene is less active and so levels of dopamine are higher, which causes the compulsive behaviours.
what is the sert gene/what does it do
affects the transportation of serotonin, decreasing the levels of it. there are low levels implicated in people with OCD
who did a study on the sert gene and what did he find
Ozaki et al found a mutation of the gene in two unrelated families where 6/7 family members had OCD
what does the diathesis-stress model suggest
it says one gene isn’t the cause of a complicated disorder like OCD, especially when they are implicated in other disorders like depression.
these genes create a vulnerability to mental illnesses and environmental stress/factors trigger it
therefore, some people could have these genes but no disorder
what are the 2 strengths of the genetic explanation
research support for genetic influences.
1. Nestadt et al studied 80 people with OCD and a control group of 73 people and found people with a first degree relative with OCD are five times more likely to suffer from it than the general population.
- Paul and Leckamn found that the genes implicated in OCD are linked with Tourette’s syndrome. and they both share characteristics of repetitive rituals and compulsive behaviours.
both studies show influnce of genetics
what is a limitation of genetic explanation
there are possible other causes. research by Cromer in 2007 showed that over half of the OCD patients he studied had suffered a traumatic experience in their life. the more traumatic the event, the more severe the OCD. shows that this isn’t a full explanation as it ignores other factors influencing the cause of OCD
