LS13 - Biological Treatments For OCD

Question 1

Drug Therapy

Answer 1

Uses medication to increase/decrease levels of neurotransmitters or neutransmitter’s activity, in the brain, generally this decreases anxiety, lowers arousal, lowers blood pressure and decreases heart rate.

Question 2

SSRI

Answer 2

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors - Prevents the breakdown and reabsorption of serotnonin, increasing serotnonin levels in the synapse, wehre it continues to stimluate the post-synaptic neuron.

Question 3

Serotonin Journey

Answer 3

Serotonin releases in the presynaptic neuron and travels across the synaptic cleft. It chemically conveys the signal from the pre-synaptic neuron to the post-synpatic neuron to and is then reabsorbed by the presynaptic neuron.

Question 4

SSRI Strengths

Answer 4

Placebo Study
Effectivity Rates

Question 5

Placebo Study (+)

Answer 5

Soomro - Reviewed 17 studies comparing SSRIs to placebo drugs for OCD treatment and all 17 studies showed SSRI was more effective, especially when combined with CBT.

Question 6

Effecitivty Rates (+)

Answer 6

70% of patients experieence a decline in OCD after taking SSRIs whilst the other 30% combine SSRIs with other psychlogical therapies.

Question 7

SSRI Weaknesses

Answer 7

Severe Side Effects

Question 8

Severe Side Effects (-)

Answer 8

SSRIS have severe side effects, which may mean the OCD patients has to stop taking hte medication examples are indigestion, blurred vision, and a loss of sex drive.

Question 9

Benzodiazepines

Answer 9

They slow down the activity of the CNS, this enhances the activity of the neurotransmitter GABA, which has an inhibitory effect on neurons.

Question 10

GABA

Answer 10

Reacts with GABA receptors on the otuside of the neuron. When locked to a receptort it opens a channel increasing the flow of chloride ions, this slows down neural activity as chloride ions make it harder for the neuron to be stimluated by other neurons.

Question 11

Benzodiazepine Strengths

Answer 11

Anxiety LEvels
Reliable
Short Term

Question 12

Benzodiazepine Weaknesses

Answer 12

Long Term
Long Term Study

Question 13

Anxiety Levels (+)

Answer 13

BZ reduces anxiety levels and OCD symptoms in a short period of time especially when compared to other treatments like CBT.

Question 14

Reliable (+)

Answer 14

BZ is used by millions of people worldwide suggesting that it’s good at reducing anxiety levels on a global basis.

Question 15

Short Term (+)

Answer 15

GIven that BZ is affective in the short-term it can be used for short periods of time and therefore patients will get close to zero side affects.

Question 16

Long Term (-)

Answer 16

When used in the long-term several unwatned side effects appear e.g. drowsiness, depression and unpredictable interactions with alcohol.

Question 17

Long Term Study (-)

Answer 17

Ashton - Found long term users of BZ become very dependant on it and withdrawal from it spikes both anxiety levels and OCD symptoms. Also as tolerance increases, larger doses are likely to be needed.