Biological

• pt1

  • Drug therapy is a biological treatment for OCD, works by balancing levels of the neurotransmitters in the brain in order to relieve symptoms of OCD
  • One drug used is an anti-depressant known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
  • SSRI’s increase serotonin activity levels by blocking the re-absorption of serotonin to the pre-synaptic neuron, increasing serotonin levels in the synapse, so it continues to activate the post-synaptic neuron
• pt2

  • These drugs have been shown to reduce anxiety associated with OCD.
  • SSRI’s usually take around 3-4 months to aleviate symptoms of OCD and the dosage can vary from person to person