NEURAL EXPLANATIONS

• WHAT PROBLEMS WITH SEROTONIN CAN CAUSE OCD SYMPTOMS?

  low levels in synapse
• WHAT IS SEROTONIN RELATED TO?

  regulating mood
• WHAT DOES A LOW LEVEL OF SEROTONIN CAUSE?

  anxiety (emotional characteristic of OCD)
• WHAT PROBLEMS WITH DOPAMINE CAN CAUSE OCD SYMPTOMS?

  abnormally high levels in synapse
• WHAT IS DOPAMINE RELATED TO?

  regulating concentration and motivation
• WHAT CAN HIGH LEVELS OF DOPAMINE CAUSE?

  hypervigilance, concentration on threats and motivation to respond to obsessive thoughts (= compulsive behaviour)
• WHAT REGION OF THE BRAIN IS INVOLVED IN DECISION MAKING?

  prefrontal cortex (PFC)
• WHAT DOES THE PFC REGULATE?

  decision making, regulation of primitive aspects of our behaviour
• WHAT DSYFUNCTION IN THE PFC IS OFTEN SEEN IN OCD PATIENTS?

  does not activate at appropriate times (thoughts about avoiding germs continue and messages of safety not correctly communicated)
• STRENGTH OF NEURAL EXPLANATIONS?

  research support
• WHAT RESEARCH SUPPORT DO NEURAL EXPLANATIONS HAVE?

  • Soomro (SSRIs were better than placebos in reducing OCD symptoms)
  • Menzies (revealed abnormalities in PFC in fMRI scans of OCD patients)
• WEAKNESS OF NEURAL EXPLANATIONS?

  no cause and effect