Explanations of OCD Flashcards
(21 cards)
emotional characteristics of ocd
- anxiety
- depression
- disgust
behavioural chracteristics of ocd
- compulsions > repetitive
- compulsions > anxiety reduction
- avoidance
cognitive characteristics of ocd
- obsessive thoughts
- cognitive coping strategies
- awareness of anxiety
ocd cycle
obsessive thought > anxiety > compulsive behavour > temporary belief
genetical
what did lewis find
- 37% had parents with ocd
- 21% had siblings woth ocd
diasthesis stress model
some indiciudals are more likely to develop a disorder > environmnets can trigger the condition
candidate genes
genes that are vulnerable to ocd
ocd is polygenic
caused by a variation of genes and not just one gene
different types of ocd
group of genes that cause a different type of ocd in one person and a different one in anohter
ao3 genetic explanations
- Research support > Nestadt found 68% of MZ had ocd and 31% of dz had ocd
- methodological issues > twin share environments
- studies for candidate genes are often done on mikce > Ahmadi > different ot humans
neurotransmitters
responsibke for erlaying inforfmation from one neuron to another
dopamine
high levels in those with ocd
what did szetchman et al find in relation to dopamine
high doses of drugs that enhance levels of
dopamine induce stereotyped movements resembling the
compulsive behaviours found in OCD patients
serotonin
low levels of serotonin are associated with ocd
what did piggott et al find in relation to serotonin
anti depressant drugs that increase serotonin levels reduce ocd levels
why do serotonin levels link to ocd
- ocd is caused by communication poblems with the front of the brain and deeper regions
- these use serotonin to communicate
what brain structures are involved with ocd
basal ganglia
frontal lobe
what does the basal ganglia do
coordinates movement and suppresses emotion
what does the frontal lobe do
converts sensory information into thoughts and actions
what happens if basal ganglia is damaged
worry cant be suppressed so ocd like symptoms show
- leads to higher frontal lobe activity > converts actions to compulsions
ao3 for neural expalantions
- real life application to drug therapy > SSRI’s increase levels of serotonin > abnormal serotonin levels linked with ocd
- shows correlation not cause > shows people with ocd had abnoramilities in brain but these could be caused by ocd
- research support > antidepressants that increase serotonin help ocd
