Biological treatment of OCD

• what is the most commonly used biological therapy for OCD?

  Drug therapy
• By using drug therapy, what does the biological approach assume about OCD?

  assumes there is a chemical imbalance in the brain and that drugs can correct this. So it is based on the biological explanation, specifically the neurotransmitter explanation.
• what are SSRIs?


  "mood stabilisers" which work by reducing anxiety (which interrupts the OCD cycle, so patients experience fewer symptoms.) They may also reduce any accompanying depression.
• What does SSRIs stand for?

  selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.
• How do SSRIs work?

  they increase the activity of serotonin in the synapse of the brain by inhibiting re-uptake to the pre-synaptic neuron. This allows it to continue to stimulate the post-synaptic membrane, and amplifies its effect.
• How effective are SSRIs?

  effective for 70% of patients, though they are not a cure and are only helping the symptoms.
• what are drugs often used alongside?

  CBT.

  The drugs reduce anxiety, meaning the person can engage more effectively with CBT. However, the drugs can take months to work.
• what are tricyclics?


  a type of antidepressant, older medicines that also alter amount of serotonin at the synapse of the brain, but have more side effects and are fatal if overdosed.
• what are newer antipsychotic medicines?

  primarily used to treat serious psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia and can have unpleasant side effects. They are used when other treatments for OCD have failed to work.
• what are the two strength of using drug therapy?

  - drug therapy is effective at tackling OCD symptoms.

  - Drugs are cost effective and non-disruptive
• what research by Soomro (2009) showed drug therapy to be effective?


  Conducted a meta-analysis of 17 studies comparing SSRIs to placebos in OCD symptoms. All 17 studies showed significantly better outcomes for those taking the SSRI compared to placebo.

  Overall the SSRIs reduced symptoms for around 70%.
• why does drug therapy represent good value for the NHS?

  drugs are relatively cheap to produce and administer compared to talking therapies delivered by a trained psychologist.
• Why is drug therapy not disruptive?

  Taking medicines can fit into daily routines. Does not require time off work, appointments of arranging childcare like a talking therapy might do.
• What are the limitations to using drug therapy?

  - drugs can have side-effects

  - coming off SSRIs is a slow process with risk of relapse.

  - There can be unreliable evidence for drug treatments

  - some cases of OCD follow trauma
• what have studies shown about the levels of side-effects?


  studies have reported varying levels of at least one side effect being experienced by patients, ranging from 38% in one study to 86% in another.
• the experience of side effects is a major reason for..


  patients stopping taking SSRIs
• why can stopping SSRIs cause relapse?


  As SSRIs do not cure the cause of OCD, symptoms are likely to return once the drug is stopped.
• Why is there unreliable evidence for drug treatments?

  Many research studies are paid for by drug companies. If studies do not show results the drug companies want, the results may not be published.

  This means unfavorable evidence is suppressed and we do not really have a good idea of how effective the drug is and how serious the side effects may be.
• Some OCD cases may have no family history, but a traumatic event. what does this suggest?


  These potentially should be treated differently, due to there being no biological basis.