OCD

• OCD - anxiety disorder where sufferers experience persistent and intrusive thoughts as obsessions and compulsions
• Obsessions - what you think about

  Compulsions - what you do as a result of obsessions
• obsessions:

  behavioural - hinder everyday functioning; social impairment

  emotional - extreme anxiety

  cognitive - recurrent and persistent thoughts; recognised as self-generated; realisation of inappropriateness; attentional bias
• compulsions

  behavioural - repetitive; hinder everyday functioning; social impairment

  emotional - distress; anxiety

  cognitive - realisation of inappropriateness; uncontrollable urges
• types of OCD:

  • contamination
  • perfectionism
  • checking
  • harm
  • superstitions
  • religious/moral
  • sexual orientation
  • relationship
• contamination

  - excessive fear of germs, dirt, and disease

  - fear of being contaminated by the environment

  - compulsions: excessive cleaning, hand washing, or avoiding certain places or objects perceived as contaminated
• perfectionism:

  - concerned with exactness and symmetry

  - feel a strong urge to arrange things in a specific way or perform repetitive rituals to achieve a sense of symmetry or order

  - compulsions: touching/tapping objects until it feels right to them.
• what are the two genes involved in ocd?

  SERT

  COMT
• SERT - serotonin

  COMT - dopamine

  GLUTAMATE - starts production of both
• serotonin:

  - contributes to feelings of happiness

  - too little shows signs of sadness, depression

  - SERT gene
• dopamine:

  - pleasure and reward

  - mood regulation, memory

  - high levels make people feel euphoric

  - COMT gene
• GABA

  • regulates anxiety, vision and motor control
  • people with too little may suffer from seizures in the brain.
  • too little can lead to mood disorders like bipolar and mania
• Anti-anxiety drugs: benzodiazepines

  • reduce tension and anxiety
  • valium
  • enhance action of GABA
  • sid effects: drowsiness, weight gain, fatigue, suicidal thoughts within the first 2-3 weeks
• anti-depressant drugs:

  • SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor)
  • Prozac
  • increase of serotonin
  • interferes with the reabsorption of serotonin
  • side effects: dizziness, dry mouth, nausea, suicidal thoughts in the first 2-3 weeks
• antipsychotic drugs:

  • Thorazine
  • decrease in dopamine
  • major tranquilizers
  • side effects: weight gain, dry mouth, nausea, nasal congestion
• chemotherapy:

  • drugs are given for a specific symptom
  • extremely effective