Cards (9)

  • Behavioural characteristics of OCD
    Compulsions are repetitive
    Compulsions reduce anxiety
    Avoid situations that trigger anxiety
  • Emotional characteristics of OCD
    Anxiety and distress
    Accompanying depression
    Guilt and disgust
  • Cognitive characteristics of OCD
    Obsessive thoughts
    Cognitive coping strategies
    Insight into excessive anxiety
  • Biological explanation of OCD - Genetic
    Candidate genes = genes that may be involved in producing symptoms of OCD, e.g. 5HT1-D beta
    OCD is polygenic, Taylor found over 230 genetic variations
    Different combinations of gene variations may cause different kinds of OCD
  • Genetic evaluation
    +research support, Nestadt found 68% MZ twins and 31% DZ twins have OCD
    +-animal studies found candidate genes, but ratamorphic
    -doesn’t take into account environmental risk factors
  • Biological explanation for OCD - Neural
    Low levels of serotonin linked to OCD
    Decision making systems (frontal lobe and parahippocampal gurus) may be malfunctioning
  • Neural evaluation
    +research support, antidepressant that work on the serotonin system alleviate OCD
    -most evidence outlines a correlation not cause
    -the link between OCD and serotonin may just be co-morbidly with depression
  • Treatment of OCD - Drug therapy
    SSRI’s are antidepressants that increase levels of serotonin at the synapse
    SSRI’s plus CBT offers best effectiveness
    There are alternatives for people who don’t react well
    • tricyclics act on serotonin plus other symptoms
    • SNRI’s (noradrenaline)
  • Drug therapy evaluation
    +Soomro et al conducted a study, 17 showed SSRI’ as more effective than placebos
    +cost effective and time effective, plus non disruptive
    -drug therapies can cause extreme side effects, e.g. eating patterns