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PSYCH - psychopathology
biological approach: explaining OCD
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key terms
Biological approach
: Emphasises physical processes in the body, especially
genetic
and
neural
.
Genetic explanations: OCD inherited via
genes
that affect vulnerability.
Neural explanations: OCD is linked to abnormal functioning in brain areas and neurotransmitters (e.g.
serotonin
).
genetic
explanations
Candidate genes
: Create vulnerability for OCD (e.g.
SERT gene
affects
serotonin
).
OCD is
polygenic
: Caused by multiple genes – up to
230
may be involved.
Different types of OCD: Different gene combinations may cause
different
symptoms or
subtypes
(e.g.
hoarding
, religious obsessions).
neural explanations
Role of
serotonin
: Low serotonin transmission leads to poor mood regulation.
Decision-making systems
: OCD may involve issues in:
Lateral frontal lobes
(logical thinking and decision making).
Parahippocampal gyrus
(associated with processing unpleasant emotions).
evaluation
:
genetic explanations
✅ Research support: Twin studies show higher
concordance
for OCD in
MZ
twins.
❌ Environmental risk factors:
Trauma
can also play a key role;
biological explanation
is partial.
❌ Animal studies: Genetic complexity in humans makes it hard to generalise from animals.
evaluation
:
neural explanations
✅ Research support:
Brain scans
show differences in
OCD
sufferers.
❌ No unique neural system: Other disorders share similar brain regions (e.g.
depression
).
❌ Correlation vs causation: Difficult to prove if neural differences cause OCD or result from it.
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