Treatments for OCD

Question 1

Drug treatments

Answer 1

• Drug treatments aim to either increase or decrease the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain or to increase or decrease their activity.
• This reduces the symptoms of OCD and lowers both anxiety and arousal.

Question 2

SSRIs

Answer 2

• An antidepressant.
• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.
• Serotonin is released by certain neurons in the brain (pre-synaptic neurons), and travels along the synapse.
• They prevent the reabsorption and breakdown of serotonin in the synapse, and forces serotonin to stay in it. Therefore continuing to stimulate the post synaptic neuron.
• This compensates for whatever is wrong with the serotonin system in OCD + increases the transmission of mood related information.

Question 3

What is an example of an SSRI?

Answer 3

Fluoxetine.

Question 4

When do SSRI’s begin to work?

Answer 4

• SSRI’s causes an immediate increase in serotonin activity.
• But an improvement in symptoms can only be seen after a 12 week period of taking the medication.
• This is a result of down-regulation= the brain compensates for the increased serotonin by reducing the amount that is released from the pre-synaptic nerve.

Question 5

Alternatives to SSRIs.

Answer 5

• SNRI’s (serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors).
• These are a second line of defence for patients who don’t respond to SSRI’s.
• SNRI’s increase the levels of serotonin as well as another different neurotransmitter- noradrenaline.

Question 6

Evidence to support the effectiveness of SSRI’s.

Answer 6

Issari- carried out a meta analysis of 17 studies, and found a significantly greater improvement in patient’s symptoms in the groups taking SSRI’s compared with the placebo group.
- This demonstrates that SSRI’s, a relatively cheap and low-effort treatment, can provide some relief for some people with OCD.