ocd

• What is a behavioral symptom of OCD?

  Compulsions performed repeatedly
• What is the genetic explanation for OCD?

  OCD is inherited through genetic factors
• What is the role of serotonin in OCD?

  Low serotonin levels contribute to OCD symptoms
• What is the concordance rate for monozygotic twins with OCD?

  68%
• What do SSRIs do in the treatment of OCD?

  They inhibit the reuptake of serotonin
• What are common side effects of drug therapy for OCD?

  Nausea, headache, and insomnia
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of drug therapy for OCD?


  Advantages:

  • Relatively inexpensive
  • Convenient for patients

  
  

  Disadvantages:

  • Potential side effects
  • May not address underlying issues
• what are obsessions?

  internal components because they are intrusive thoughts
• what are compulsions?


  external components because they are repetitive behaviour
• what is the COMT gene?


  regulates the production of neurotransmitter dopamine, found to be more common in ocd patients
• what is the SERT gene?


  effects the efficiency of transport of serotonin
• what is synaptic transmission?


  the process by which one neuron communicates with another
• dopamine

  ocd patients had abnormally high levels of dopamine.

  animal studies shown high doses of drugs that enhance dopamine levels induces behaviour resembling compulsive behaviours in ocd.
• serotonin

  low serotonin is associated with ocd

  based on antidepressant drugs (ssri's) that have been shown to reduce ocd symptoms
• what is diathesis stress?

  individuals inherit genes from their parents from that are related to ocd
• study on diathesis stress

  ocd patients that 37% had a parent with ocd and 21% had siblings with ocd
• What brain area is associated with OCD activity?

  Orbital frontal cortex
• What is the role of the orbital frontal cortex in OCD?

  It processes sensory information into thoughts
• How does the OFC interact with the thalamus in OCD?

  OFC sends worry signals to thalamus
• What happens after the thalamus receives signals from the OFC?

  It leads to an impulse act that stops
• What normally suppresses worry signals in the brain?

  Caudate nucleus
• What is the condition of the caudate nucleus in individuals with OCD?

  It is damaged and cannot suppress signals
• What role does the thalamus play in the worry circuit of OCD?

  It sends signals back to the OFC
• What do PET scans reveal about patients with OCD?

  Heightened activity in the OFC
• Which neurotransmitter is linked to the operation of the OFC and caudate nuclei?

  Serotonin
• How might abnormal serotonin levels affect the brain regions involved in OCD?

  They may cause malfunction in OFC and caudate nuclei
• What is the main neurotransmitter of the basal ganglia?

  Dopamine
• What effect do higher levels of dopamine have on the caudate nucleus?

  They lead to overactivity in this area
• Who identified 80 patients with OCD in 2000?

  Nestadt
• What was the comparison group in Nestadt's study?

  73 control patients without mental illness
• What was the increased risk of developing OCD for those with a relative who has it?

  5x greater risk
• What did the meta-analysis of twin studies reveal about MZ twins and OCD?

  MZ twins were 2x more likely to develop OCD
• What does it suggest if all MZ twins had OCD if one did?

  It would suggest a purely genetic cause
• What environmental factors can trigger or increase the risk of developing OCD?

  Traumatic experiences in the past
• What percentage of OCD patients had a traumatic experience in one study?

  Over half
• How was OCD severity related to trauma in participants?

  More severe with more than one trauma
• What method did Menzies use to study brain activity in OCD patients?

  MRI
• Who were the comparison subjects in Menzies' study?

  Healthy unrelated people
• What was found regarding grey matter in OCD patients and their relatives?

  Reduced grey matter in key brain regions
• Which brain region was specifically mentioned in relation to reduced grey matter?

  OFC (Orbitofrontal Cortex)