OCD: biological treatments

Question 1

How is OCD treated using the biological approach?

Answer 1

Drug therapy

Question 2

What does drug therapy aim to do for mental disorders?

Answer 2

aims to increase or decrease levels of neurotransmitters in the brain or to increase/decrease their activity

Question 3

What is an SSRI?

Answer 3

an antidepressant drug

Question 4

What do SSRIs do?

Answer 4

prevent the reabsorption and breakdown of serotonin in the synapse and thus continuing to stimulate the postsynaptic neuron, compensating for whatever is wrong with the serotonin system in OCD

Question 5

How long does it take for SSRIs to have impact on symptoms?

Answer 5

3-4 months of daily use

Question 6

What are drugs often combined with to treat OCD?

Answer 6

cognitive behavioural therapy

Question 7

how does combining SSRIs with CBT help?

Answer 7

the drugs reduce a persons emotional symptoms which means they can engage more effectively with CBT

Question 8

What are alternatives to SSRIs?

Answer 8

tricyclics and SNRIs

Question 9

What do tricyclics do (such as clomipramine)?

Answer 9

acts on various systems including the serotonin system where it has the same effect as SSRIs

however, it has more severe side effects so it is generally reserved for people who do not respond to SSRIs

Question 10

What do SNRIs do?

Answer 10

(serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors) - increase levels of serotonin as well as noradrenaline

Question 11

Evaluate the biological approach to treating OCD (evidence of effectiveness)

Answer 11

Soomro et al (2009) reviewed 17 studies that compared SSRIs to placebos and all studies showed better outcomes for SSRIs than placebos

Typically symptoms reduce for around 70% of people taking SSRIs

Therefore, drugs appear to be helpful for most people with OCD

Question 12

Evaluate the biological approach to treating OCD (cost effective and non disruptive)

Answer 12

cheap compared to psychological treatments

non disruptive to people’s lives - easy and not time consuming

this means that drugs are popular with many people with OCD and their doctors

Question 13

Evaluate the biological approach to treating OCD (side effects)

Answer 13

can have potentially serious side effects

side effects can include headaches, fatigue and insomnia etc

this may lead people to not want to take the drug, therefore not being effective