Mod 4 ocd

Psychopathology

O.C.D.The specification:

• The biological approach to explaining and treating O.C.D: genetic and neural explanations; drug therapy.

Biological explanations: O.C.D

• You need to know the behavioural, emotional and cognitive characteristics of OCD.

• You need to be able to outline these characteristics.

• You need to be able to identify them in a description of someone’s behaviour.

O.C.D.


• The basic assumptions of the biological approach are:

• Genes.

• Neural structures.

• Neurochemistry.


• The application of the biological approach to mental disorders is known as the medical model.

• Mental disorders are just like physical illnesses.

• Abnormal biological processes cause abnormal psychological processes.

Biological treatments: O.C.D

• A physical illness requires a physical treatment.

• Drugs.

Biological explanations: Genes

• O.C.D is caused by:

• Genes

• Some people inherit genes that make them vulnerable to the development of O.C.D.


• Twin studies.• Twin studies have found:• O.C.D. has a genetic basis.

Biological explanation: genes


• Twin studies use a statistical technique to calculate a concordance rate.

• One identical twin has O.C.D. the other identical twin has O.C.D.

• The concordance rate from twin study research varies significantly but suggests that inherited genes are a significant cause of O.C.D.


• This research has attempted to identify the specific genes that cause O.C.D.

• This research has been inconclusive.

• O.C.D has a ‘polygenic’ basis.

Genes: evaluation

• No twin study has found a 100% concordance rate.

• Genes can’t be the only cause of O.C.D.

Genes: evaluation

• The diathesis-stress model.

• Some people inherit genes that make them vulnerable to developing O.C.D.

Genes: evaluation

Genes: evaluation

• This genetic vulnerability interacts with that person’s environment.

• Physical environment.

• Social environment.

• Trauma.

Genes: evaluation

• The environment can activate or trigger inherited genes.

• The vulnerable person develops O.C.D.

• Genome = genes inherited.

• Phenotype = the environment.


Read p.37 - 38 of the psychopathology booklet: Genetic Explanations and complete the genetic explanation table.

Key words

• Serotonin: neurotransmitter that regulates mood. May cause some of the symptoms of O.C.D.

• Dopamine: neurotransmitter that plays an important role in regulating motivation and reward. May cause some of the symptoms of O.C.D.

• Polygenic: more than one gene.

• Concordance rate: the match expressed in % that one twin diagnosed with O.C.D. is diagnosed with O.C.D.

Neural explanations

• Abnormal brain structures.

• Abnormal brain function.

• Abnormal brain structures cause abnormal brain function.

Neural explanations: abnormal brain function

• Serotonin is a neurotransmitter.

• It regulates mood.

• When levels are normal you feel:

• Happier

• Calmer

• More focussed

• Less anxious


• When levels of serotonin are abnormal you feel:

• Anxious

• Unfocussed

• Can’t concentrate

• Not in control of your thoughts


• Abnormally low levels of serotonin are linked to the symptoms of O.C.D.

• One cause of O.C.D. may be the abnormal production and processing of serotonin.

Neural explanations: abnormal brain structures

Parahippocampul gyrus

Abnormal brain function: evaluation

• Research has identified two abnormalities in the human serotonin transporter gene in DNA samples of people with O.C.D.

• These abnormal genes cause low levels of serotonin in the brain.

Abnormal brain function: evaluation

• Drugs that raise levels of serotonin in the brain reduce the symptoms of O.C.D.

• Anti-depressants.

• SSRI’s

• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

Abnormal brain structures: evaluation

• Research has not identified specific brain structures or specific brain systems that are responsible for O.C.D.

• Brain abnormalities may be caused by O.C.D.

• The brain abnormality may not cause O.C.D.

Biological treatment: drugs

• The main biological treatment for O.C.D. is drug therapy.

• Drugs that raise levels of serotonin in the brain are prescribed.

• Anti-depressants are prescribed.

SSRI’s


• SSRI’s.

• Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors.

• SSRi’s block the reabsorption of serotonin back into the brain cell that has released it.

• Over time levels of serotonin rise in the brain.


• Other types of anti-depressants may be prescribed:

• SNRI’s

• Tricyclic’s


• Other types of drugs may be prescribed:

• Anti-anxiety drugs.

• Benzodiazapines.

Drugs: evaluation

• Drugs work.

• They reduce the symptoms of O.C.D.

• A meta-analysis (2009) found that SSRI’s were effective in reducing the symptoms of O.C.D.

Drugs: evalaution

Drugs are cheap.


Drugs have side effects.


• Negative results are not published.

• Researchers only send reports of research that find positive results to academic journals.

Mod 4 ocd

Education

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