Psycopathology - OCD

Question 1

Behavioural characteristics of OCD

Answer 1

Compulsion/repetitive behaviour
Avoidance

Question 2

What are compulsions and repetitive behaviour

Answer 2

Behavioural characteristic of OCD
Repetitive actions that can hinder the individuals ability to perform daily tasks
Reduce anxiety created from the depression - they have to do this so something bad doesn’t happen

Question 3

What is avoidance

Answer 3

Behavioural characteristic of OCD
Reduce anxiety by avoiding things that may trigger their OCD

Question 4

Emotional characteristics of OCD

Answer 4

High Anxiety/Low Mood
Disgust/Self-Loathing

Question 5

What is High Anxiety

Answer 5

Emotional characteristic of OCD
Obsessions - source of considerable anxiety and distress
Aware that their behaviour is obsessive - could be embarrassed and shameful
Can’t control their behaviour - strong feelings of distress

Question 6

What is disgust

Answer 6

Emotional characteristics
Disgust at the source of the obsessions or directed towards self

Question 7

Cognitive characteristics of OCD

Answer 7

Obsessive thoughts/Irrational beliefs
Insight into irrationality of thoughts and beliefs/awareness that irrational
Hyper-vigilance/Selective Attention

Question 8

What are obsessive thoughts and irrational beliefs

Answer 8

Persistent and intrusive that are perceived as inappropriate or forbidden - frightening or embarrassing
Commonly - doubts, impulses, images
Catastrophic thinking when people with OCD think something will happen if their compulsion is not carried out

Question 9

Insight into irrationality of thoughts and behaviour/awareness of irrationality

Answer 9

Most understand their compulsive behaviours and obsessive thoughts are inappropriate and irrational but cannot control or stop them

Question 10

Hyper-vigilance/selective attention

Answer 10

Increased awareness of source of obsession in new situations
Quick to find it or notice it

Question 11

What is the biological approach to ocd

Answer 11

Assumes that OCD is caused by genetic and biochemical factors

Question 12

What does polygenic mean and how does this related to OCD

Answer 12

OCD is polygenic. Polygenic means that one single gene is NOT responsible but as many as 230 genes might be responsible

Question 13

What is aetiological heterogeneity

Answer 13

Suggests that difference combinations of genes may cause the disorder in different people

Question 14

What is the COMT gene

Answer 14

this gene regulates production of the neurotransmitter dopamine

One variation results in higher levels of dopamine - common in OCD patients

Question 15

What is the SERT gene

Answer 15

Affects the transportation of serotonin, causing lower levels of serotonin

Low levels of serotonin have been linked to OCD

Question 16

Two strengths of genetics explanations

Answer 16

Nestadt found the condordance rates for OCD between monzygotic twins (68%) was significantly higher than dizygotic twins (32%)

Animal studies have found that there is a genetic basis for repetitive ritualistic behaviour in animals. Ahmari found common gene in mice who display ritualistic behaviour

Question 17

What are concordance rates

Answer 17

Perfect of cases in which both members of a pair have a particular attribute

Question 18

Weakness of Genetic explanations

Answer 18

Around half of ocd cases tend to follow trauma, undermining genetic explanation of OCD. Also cannot count for cases where there was no ocd in family history

Question 19

How does dopamine affect ocd

Answer 19

OCD sufferers have high levels of dopamine
Linked to over hyperactivity in the basal ganglia in the brain- causes repetitive motor functions

Question 20

How does serotonin affect ocd and where does it operate

Answer 20

Key role in operating the caudate nucleus in the basal ganglia of the brain
Low levels of serotonin cause caudate nucleus to malfunctions - results in obsessions

Question 21

One strength of Neural explanations

Answer 21

Antidepressants increase serotonin levels in ocd - leads to reduction of ocd symptoms
Good evidence to suggest low levels of serotonin could be a cause for OCD

Question 22

One weakness of neural explanations

Answer 22

Neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin might not cause ocd, instead low serotonin and high dopamine could be symptoms of OCD

Question 23

Outline aim of drug therapy

Answer 23

Drug therapy to correct imbalance of neurochemicals by increasing or decreasing levels of neurotransmitters in order to reduce symptoms

Question 24

Which antidepressant drug affects serotonin

Answer 24

Selective serotonin Re-uptake inhibitors
Prozac, fluoxetine

Question 25

How is serotonin transported and broken down

Answer 25

Released by presynaptic neurons and travels across synaptic cleft (gap between the neurons) Chemically conveys signal from presynaptic neuron to postsynaptic neuron Then re-absorbed by presynaptic neuron where it is broken down and reused

Question 26

Neuron that releases serotonin

Answer 26

Presynaptic neuron

Question 27

Neuron that reabsorbs serotonin

Answer 27

Postsynaptic neuron

Question 28

What do the SSRI’s do

Answer 28

Prevent reabosrnrion and breakdown of serotonin and increase the level of serotonin in synapse where it stimulates the postynaptic neuron This would reduce anxiety

Question 29

How long does it take for SSRIs to make an impact

Answer 29

Typically takes 3-4 months of daily use for SSRIs to impact upon symptoms Dosage may increase if it’s not benefiting the patient

Question 30

Two strengths of Serotonin Re-Uptake Inhibitors

Answer 30

Soomro reviewed 17 studies that compared ssri to placebo and all 17 studies shows ssri was more effective than placebos, especially with CBT 70% of patients experience decline in OCD symptoms when taking ssri. Remaining 30% opt for therapies or combination or ssri and therapies

Question 31

One weakness of serotonin reuptake inhibitors

Answer 31

Have severe side effects - patients might stop taking medication then Side effects are indigestion, blurred vision and loss of sex drive

Question 32

What do Benzodiazepines do

Answer 32

Slow down the activity of central nervous system by enhancing activity of neurotransmitters GABA GABA has inhibitory effect on neurons

Question 33

How does GABA inhibit neurons

Answer 33

Reacts with special sites called GABA receptors on the outside of neurons When GABA locks into these receptors it opens channel increases chloride ions flow into neuron Chloride ions make it harder for the neuron receptors to be stimulated by other neurotransmitters This slows down activity and makes person relaxes

Question 34

What do chloride ions do to the neuron

Answer 34

Chloride ions make it harder for the neuron to be stimulated by other neurotransmitters, slowing down neural activity

Question 35

One strength of Benzodiazepines

Answer 35

Can reduce anxiety levels and OCD symptoms in a short period of time Instant relief - good

Question 36

One weakness of Benzodiazepines

Answer 36

Unwanted side effects - drowsiness, depression and unpredictable interactions with alcohol Ashton found patents become dependent and withdrawal leads to high anxiety and ocd symptoms Patients need to take larger doses more often because their bodies get used it