Biological approach to explaining OCD

• The biological approach to OCD outlines 2 explanations.
• One explanation to OCD is genetics. This is because Taylor found that there were 230 genes implicated with the development of OCD stating that it is polygenic.
• Examples of the genes implicated include the SERT gene, responsible for serotonin transmission, the COMT gene, involved in dopamine transmission and the 5TH1-D beta gene also implicated in the transportaion of serotonin across the synapse.
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  :( - Biologically reductionist

  A weakness of the biological approach to OCD is that it does not explain how environmental factors contribute to its development.

  For example, if someone grows up in an abusive household then they may develop OCD as a coping mechanism.

  Therefore, the approach is reductionist because it breaks down the approach into the constituent parts and limits the explanation.
• OCD is aetiologically heterogenous which means that it can differ person to person in the sense that one set of genes may cause ocd in one person and a different set of genes may cause it in another.
• Neural explanations refer to faults within the orbitofrontal cortex, caudate nucleus and the basal ganglia.
• Neural explanations also refer to the fact OCD has been implicated with low serotonin transmission.
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  :) - Practical applications

  Knowing that genes and neurotransmitters can be implicated in the development of OCD, has led to treatments such as SSRIs and SNRIs.

  These treatments have been proven to work and this therefore increases the validity of the approach as it has positive implications on the lives of people suffering with OCD and if the treatment works then the approach is valid.
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  :) - Research support for genetics

  Twin studies supplies evidence for a genetic basis of OCD.

  Nestadt et al found that 68 % of monozygotic twins shared the genes for OCD compared to 31 % of dizygotic twins.

  This shows that there is some genetic baseline explanation to OCD.

  Thus increasing its validity.
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  :( - Comorbidities

  Many people with OCD also have symptoms of clinical depression.

  Both conditions are linked to low serotonin levels.

  This provides doubt on whether or not OCD is caused by low serotonin as it could simply be that disruptions in serotonin activity are the result of depression which are impacting OCD.

  This therefore reduces the validity of the neural explanation.
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  :( - Causality issues

  Evidence suggests that dysfunctions in the neural systems cause OCD.

  The biological approach states this is the result of brain dysfunction.

  However, this is only a correlation and you cannot establish cause and effect and a subsequent causal relationship.

  Therefore it's difficult to suggest whether or not neural systems are affecting OCD or OCD are causing malfunctions in the neural system or perhaps it's a third factor.

  This reduces the face validity of the explanation.
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  :) - Soomro

  Soomro found that those on SSRIs had better reduction in compulsions compared to those on a placebo drug which shows the effectiveness of SSRIs as treatments for OCD

  This increases the validity of the treatment showing evidence that it works.
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  :( - Alternative treatments

  NICE guidelines evidence (2014) found non-biological treatments like CBT were more effective, with better remission rates.

  This suggests that perhaps SSRIs aren't as effective as first thought which casts doubt onto a biological explanation of OCD.
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  :) - Research support

  Sansone & Sansone (2011) found SSRIs significantly reduced symptoms in around 70% of patients.

  This provides evidence to the effcetiveness of SSRIs as treatments to OCD and adds validity to the biological explanation of OCD.