Biological Explanations for OCD Flashcards
(13 cards)
What is OCD?
OCD is an anxiety disorder.
What are obsessions in OCD?
Obsessions are intrusive, persistent thoughts causing anxiety.
What are compulsions in OCD?
Compulsions are repetitive behaviours performed to reduce anxiety.
What is a behavioural characteristic of OCD?
Compulsions: repetitive behaviours (e.g. handwashing) that interfere with daily life.
What is another behavioural characteristic of OCD?
Avoidance: avoiding anxiety-triggering situations, disrupting normal routines (e.g. work).
What is an emotional characteristic of OCD?
Anxiety: intense worry caused by obsessions.
What is another emotional characteristic of OCD?
Embarrassment: awareness that behaviours are irrational can cause shame.
What is a cognitive characteristic of OCD?
Obsessions: intrusive thoughts, often involving catastrophic thinking (e.g. “If I don’t check the door, I’ll be robbed”).
What is another cognitive characteristic of OCD?
Insight: sufferers usually recognize their thoughts are irrational, but this doesn’t reduce the anxiety.
What is the Neural Explanation for OCD?
Fault in the worry circuit: OFC sends worry signals; caudate nucleus fails to suppress these; thalamus becomes hyperactive → obsessions; low serotonin causes poor mood regulation → obsessions, anxiety; high dopamine linked to compulsions.
What is the Genetic Explanation for OCD?
SERT gene: overactive → too much serotonin reuptake → low serotonin in the synapse; COMT gene: underactive → less dopamine breakdown → high dopamine levels.
What are the strengths of Biological Explanations for OCD?
Evidence for neural basis: brain scans show abnormalities in OFC and caudate nucleus in OCD patients; genetic support: twin studies show higher concordance for OCD in MZ twins vs DZ twins; practical application: led to drug treatments like SSRIs, which increase serotonin and reduce symptoms.
What are the limitations of Biological Explanations for OCD?
Ignores environment: over-focus on nature; 50% of OCD sufferers have a history of trauma; reductionist: oversimplifies OCD to genes/neurotransmitters—research supports a diathesis-stress model; drugs don’t work for everyone: only effective in about 50% of cases.
