Treating OCD: Biological Approach

Question 1

what is the biological approach to treating OCD

Answer 1

drug therapy

• SSRIs
• BZs

Question 2

outline the biological approach to treating OCD: INTRO

Answer 2

Drugs attempt to increase or decrease levels of neurotransmitters or the activity of neurotransmitters in the brain

Question 3

outline the biological approach to treating OCD: SSRIs

Answer 3

The standard biological treatment used to tackle the symptoms of OCD involves a particular type of antidepressant drug called a ‘Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor’ (or SSRI).

SSRIs work on the serotonin system in the brain as it is thought that low serotonin transmission is a possible cause of OCD.

Normally, after serotonin has transmitted its message from the presynaptic neuron to the postsynaptic neuron by crossing the synapse, it is reabsorbed by the presynaptic neuron ready to be re-used.

SSRIs work by preventing (or ‘inhibiting) this reabsorption.

This results in more serotonin staying in the synapse for longer which then continues to stimulate the postsynaptic neuron for longer, thus increasing serotonin transmission to compensate for the low transmission the OCD patient was experiencing.

As a result, anxiety is reduced.

Question 4

outline the biological approach to treating OCD: ANTI-ANXIETY DRUGS

Answer 4

Benzodiazepines (BZs) are sometimes also used to treat the anxiety felt by many OCD patients.

BZs work by enhancing the activity of the neurotransmitter, GABA.

As GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter (often referred to as the nervous system’s ‘off switches’), it decreases the likelihood of the next neuron firing.

This has a general quietening effect on the brain, slowing down the CNS, reducing anxiety and causing relaxation.

Question 5

Evaluation: drug therapy
- STRENGTHS

Answer 5

P: SSRIs have been shown to be effective
E: have been shown significantly reduce the symptoms of OCD compared to placebos (drugs with no active ingredient).
E: evidence from Soomro et al (2009) who found that SSRIs were significantly more effective than placebos in treating OCD
L: SSRIs have benefitted many real-people’s lives
E: BUT, little long term evidence exists (Koran et al)

P: cost-effective and practical
E: relatively cheap and also non-disruptive to patients’ lives
E: eg, drugs allow patients to reduce their symptoms without having to engage with much of the hard work needed by psychological therapies like CBT
L: many doctors and patients favour SSRIs for these reasons

P: beneficial for the economy
E: estimated that mental health issues cost the English economy around £22.5 billion a year and any effective treatments for mental illness could help to reduce this
E: eg, effective drug therapy might reduce unnecessary healthcare costs on treatments for OCD that do not work and reduce the number of days’ people have off work sick so improving productivity.
L: not only have a positive impact on sufferers’ lives, but also have economic benefits too

Question 6

Evaluation: drug therapy
- LIMITATIONS

Answer 6

P: side effects
E: SSRIs may have unintended negative effects
E: indigestion, blurred vision and loss of sex drive
L: drugs may do more harm than good and people may stop taking them

P: argued that drugs only treat the symptoms, not the cause:
E: drugs may be effective in the short-term by placing a ‘chemical mask’ on symptoms, however, they may not be a lasting cure.
E: eg, patients normally relapse within a few weeks after medication is stopped
L: longer-term solutions such as CBT may be seen as more appropriate in the long-term