OCD

• What are the main behavioral characteristics of OCD?


  Compulsions and avoidance behavior
• How do compulsions reduce anxiety in OCD?


  They act upon obsessive thoughts
• Why is avoidance behavior negatively reinforced in OCD?


  It helps individuals avoid anxiety associated with compulsive behaviors
• What emotional characteristics are associated with OCD?


  Guilt, disgust, depression, and anxiety
• Why do individuals with OCD experience depression?


  Due to the constant compulsion to carry out repetitive behaviors
• What cognitive characteristics are typical in OCD patients?


  Excessive and irrational anxiety acknowledgment, cognitive strategies, and intrusive thoughts
• What is the diathesis-stress model in relation to OCD?


  It suggests that genetic vulnerability must be paired with environmental stressors to develop OCD
• What percentage of OCD patients had parents with OCD according to Lewis et al.?


  37%
• How many genes are involved in the development of OCD?


  Up to 230 different genes
• What neurotransmitters are associated with OCD?


  Dopamine and serotonin
• What is one candidate gene implicated in OCD?

  5HT1-D beta
• What does it mean that OCD is aetiologically heterogenous?


  It has many different causes
• What did Nestadt et al. find in their review of twin studies related to OCD?


  68% of identical twins share OCD compared to 31% of non-identical twins
• Why is it important not to be deterministic regarding genetic factors in OCD?


  Having candidate genes does not guarantee the development of OCD without environmental stressors
• What is a limitation of having too many candidate genes in OCD research?


  It makes it difficult to assess which genes have the greatest influence
• What did Cromer et al. find regarding trauma and OCD?


  Over half of OCD patients had experienced trauma, correlating with severity
• What do SSRIs do in the treatment of OCD?


  They prevent the reuptake of serotonin
• What is the effect of tricyclics in treating OCD?


  They have a similar effect to SSRIs but are used when SSRIs are ineffective
• What do SNRIs do in the brain?


  They increase the concentration of noradrenaline
• What is a limitation of drug therapy for OCD?


  Serious side effects can occur
• What side effects can occur from taking Clomipramine?


  Erection problems, weight gain, and tremors
• How can increased knowledge about drug treatments for OCD benefit the workforce?


  It can reduce sick days and increase productivity
• Why are drug treatments considered cost-effective for public health organizations?


  They are cheaper compared to psychological treatments
• How do drug treatments allow patients to manage their symptoms?


  They can be taken discretely, allowing a relatively normal life