The biological approach to explaining OCD Flashcards
What are the 2 biological explanations of OCD?
Genetic explanations, neural explanations.
What are the two genes that are associated with OCD?
COMT gene and SERT gene.
What is the COMT gene’s relationship with OCD?
COMT gene regulates production of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Form of COMT gene produces lower activity of COMT gene. Higher levels of dopamine, contributing to OCD.
What is the SERT gene’s relationship with OCD?
SERT gene creates lower levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Lower levels of serotonin can lead to OCD.
What is the importance of the diathesis stress model in the genetic explanations for OCD?
Complex behaviours cannot be simply described by singular genes. COMT and SERT may describe a vulnerability to OCD. Environmental factors also important.
What are the two neural explanations of OCD?
Abnormal levels of neurotransmitters. Abnormal brain circuits.
What abnormal levels of neurotransmitters lead to OCD?
High dopamine levels. Low serotonin levels.
What abnormal areas in the brain are associated with OCD?
Areas in the frontal lobes: caudate nucleus and the OFC. Damaged caudate nucleus fails to suppress minor worry signals that travel to the thalamus. Activates worry response as part of the worry circuit. Supported by brain scans. Serotonin and dopamine have influences in these areas.
(AO3) What is an issue/debate that is relevant here?
Nature-nurture debate. Nature: neurotransmitters and brain structure. Nurture: trauma, parenting types, stressful life events. Suggests both are important - diathesis stress.
(AO3) What research support is there for the neural explanations of OCD?
MRI scanning of brain activity in OCD patients, close family members and control group without OCD. OCD patients and relatives had reduced grey matter in key regions such as the OFC.
(AO3) What is the strength of adopting the biological approach to OCD?
Leads to development of drug treatments. SSRIs, tricyclics, anti-anxiety drugs etc. all have considerable effectiveness. Cheap, easy to use. But may only prevent symptoms and have high chance of relapse.
(AO3) What is an alternate explanation for OCD?
The two-process model (behaviourist). Neutral stimulus associated with anxiety. Maintained as individual avoids stimulus. Obsession then forms. Link between obsessive behaviours and a reduction in anxiety is learned and repeated. Suggests OCD may have psychological causes as well as biological.
