biological approach to explaining OCD

• OCD


  type of anxiety disorder where the anxiety arises from obsessions and compulsions. Person believes the compulsions will reduce anxiety
• COMT gene


  -Regulates the production of dopamine.

  -Lower activity means higher levels of dopamine.
• SERT gene


  -affects the transport of seratonin

  -low levels of seratonin affect our ability maintain a stable mood
• Stress-Diathesis Model


  a psychological theory that attempts to explain a disorder as the result of an interaction between a predispositional vulnerability and a stress caused by life experiences.
• abnormal levels of neurotransmitters

  -neurotransmitters relay info from one another

  -if a person has low levels of serotonin then normal transmission of information on mood doesn't take place

  -this affects other mental processes

  
  

  -studies carried out on animals showed that when dopamine levels are induced stereotypical movemnts were produced that resembled OCD patients
• Abnormal brain circuits


  some areas of the frontal lobe are abnormal in those with OCD.

  The caudate nucleus (CN) should suppress signals from the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC).

  in turn, the OFC sends signals to the thalamus about things that are worrying.

  When the CN is damaged, it can't supress minor worry signals, so the thalamus is altered and sends signals back to the OFC, creating response.

  > Supported by PET scans.

  > Serotonin and dopamine levels are linked to these areas.
• weaknesses


  -explanation doesn't take into account the effect of the environment and experiences, other approaches do

  -no gene is directly and exclusively responsible for OCD Pauls and Leckman (1986) argued that OCD is one expression of the same gene that determines Tourettes syndrome
• strenghts

  -it has scientific basis in biology, theres evidence that low serotonin and damage to the basal ganglia correlate with OCD

  -twin studies have shown that genetics have at least some effect on the likelihood of developing OCD, however concordance rate isnt 100% therefore environmental factors must contribute

  -it can be seen as ethical as people arent blamed for their disorders, they just have an illness