Evaluation

• P - Supporting Evidence

  Maia - brain scans consistently found over activity in the orbitofrontal cortex and thalamus in patients with OCD

  Aligns with the neural explanation of OCD well granting it credibility

  D - Furthermore , brain scans are more objective and free of bias leaving less room for doubt and can't really be disputed
• P - Supporting Evidence

  Max - when basal ganglia is disconnected from frontal cortex during surgery , OCD like symptoms are reduced

  Caudate nucleus starts change in worry circuit

  Not going to caudate nucleus , not leading to worry circuit

  Theory and practical application align - increasing credibility

  D - Furthermore , makes neural explanation much more plausible that it is an accurate explanation increasing validity
• P - Opposing Evidence

  Aylward - meta analysis found no significant differences in basal ganglia structures between OCD patients and control group

  Multiple studies increases validity of results

  No significant difference means that chance could decide how individual studies play out

  D - However , as it is a meta analysis there is a huge lack of control which decreases the validity of its conclusions