Treatment In Psychopathology

Question 1

What are SSRIS?

Answer 1

Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors
- reuptaking is when remaining neurotransmitters that aren’t taken up by the desired neurones during synaptic transmission go back to the same neurones they were released from
- inhibiting high levels of serotonin reuptaking allows a higher concentration of serotonin to remain in the synaptic cleft to be taken up by other neurones

Question 2

Put very simply, why are SSRIS useful in treating OCD?

Answer 2

Serotonin deficiencies are associated with development and maintenance of OCD, so increasing serotonin concentration that is synaptically transmitted allows effective treatment of OCD

Question 3

What are the names of some common SSRIS?

Answer 3

Fluvoxamine, Prozac, sertraline

Question 4

Which less effective drug therapy to treat OCD came before SSRIS and which was the most effective one?

Answer 4

SRI’s (serotonin reuptake inhibitors) - less selective in acting
Most effective: clomipramine

Question 5

How has research shown the role of serotonin in OCD is oversimplified in drug therapy?

Answer 5

Rachman, 2004: patients with OCD don’t usually have low serotonin levels
Counter - various brain structures in individuals with OCD may show increased sensitivity to serotonin, which would lead us to believe it only seems that the patients have low serotonin levels

Dolberg et al, 1996: over a long time, the effects of SSRI’s on serotonin receptors produced a decrease in the availability of serotonin, meaning the effectiveness of SSRI’s seem to only be positive initially and not for long-term use