Neural Explans Flashcards
Research Support for the Neural Explanation of OCD
There is strong evidence that suggests certain brain circuits are associated with OCD. PET scans of patients with OCD, taken while their
symptoms are active (e.g. when a person with a germ obsession holds a dirty cloth) show heightened activity in the OFC. Paul et. al. (2014) using neuroimaging has repeatedly found unusually high activation within the OFC and several studies have found excessive activity in the
caudate nucleus for patients with OCD. In addition, Hu (2006) compared serotonin activity in
169 OCD sufferers and 253 non-sufferers finding serotonin levels to be lower in the OCD patients,
which supports the idea of low levels of serotonin being associated with the disorder. Combined
this evidence offers strong support for a neural explanation for OCD
however there is Mixed support for the role of serotonin in OCD
Whilst SSRIs (antidepressants) which increase the amount of serotonin in the brain can successfully treat the symptoms of OCD, the exact role
of the neurotransmitter in OCD is far from clear. One problem is serotonin-based drugs are not
helpful for all sufferers. Bastani et al (1990) found that increasing the levels of serotonin in the brain can actually make OCD symptoms worse. Other neurotransmitters have also been implicated in OCD such as dopamine and glutamate. It is not clear whether OCD is caused by problems with particular neurotransmitters or by imbalances in how several neurotransmitters
interact. Symptoms can vary between sufferers so it may even be that OCD has a variety of neurochemical causes. Therefore, it is unlikely that abnormal levels of serotonin are a sole cause of OCD.
