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Psychology: Psychopathology > The biological approach to explaining OCD > Flashcards

The biological approach to explaining OCD Flashcards

1
Q

What are the 2 types of OCD explanation?

A

Neural and genetic

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2
Q

What 2 genes may contribute to OCD?

A

The COMT gene and the SERT gene

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3
Q

What does the COMT gene do?

A

Regulates the production of a neurotransmitter called dopamine

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4
Q

What is a neurotransmitter?

A

A chemical substance that transmits nerve impulses across a synapse

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5
Q

What is dopamine?

A

A neurotransmitter involved with motivation and ‘drive’

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6
Q

How is the COMT gene linked to OCD?

A

One allele of the gene is more common in OCD patients than people without the disorder

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7
Q

How does the OCD variation of the COMT gene lead to OCD symptoms?

A

It produces lower activity of the COMT gene and higher levels of dopamine

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8
Q

What does the SERT gene do?

A

Affects the transportation of serotonin

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9
Q

What does SERT do to serotonin levels?

A

Decreases them

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10
Q

What did a study regarding the SERT gene find?

A

In two unrelated families who had a mutated SERT gene, 6 of the 7 family members had OCD

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11
Q

In OCD patients, what are dopamine levels expected to be?

A

Higher than normal

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12
Q

What did animal studies find about dopamine?

A

High doses of drugs that enhance dopamine levels induce stereotyped movements resembling the compulsions of OCD patients

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13
Q

What is the name of the brain circuit associated with OCD?

A

The worry circuit

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14
Q

What are the 3 brain structures involved in the worry circuit?

A

The caudate nucleus, the OFC and the thalamus

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15
Q

What does the caudate nucleus do in an individual without OCD?

A

Supresses signals from the orbitofrontal cortex

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16
Q

What does the caudate nucleus do in an individual with OCD?

A

Fails to supress minor ‘worry’ signals

17
Q

What does the orbitofrontal cortex do?

A

Sends signals to the thalamus about things that are worrying

18
Q

What support is there for the worry circuit?

A

PET scans taken while OCD symptoms were active found heightened activity in the OFC

19
Q

Which neurotransmitters are involved in the worry circuit?

A

Dopamine and serotonin

20
Q

What are the 4 AO3 points of the biological explanation of OCD?

A

1) Family + twin studies
2) Alternative explanations
3) Research support for genes and OFC
4) Tourette’s syndrome

21
Q

In the first degree relative study into OCD, how many OCD participants were there?

A

80

22
Q

In the first degree relative study into OCD, how many relatives of OCD participants were there?

A

343

23
Q

In the first degree relative study into OCD, how many non-OCD participants were there?

A

73

24
Q

In the first degree relative study into OCD, how many relatives of the non-OCD participants were there?

A

300

25
Q

In the first degree relative study into OCD, what was found about the people who had a first-degree relative with OCD?

A

They were 5x more likely to develop OCD at some point in their life

26
Q

What did a twin study meta analysis find about OCD?

A

MZ twins were twice as likely to develop OCD if their co-twin had it, compared to DZ twins

27
Q

What type of explanation challenges the biological explanation of OCD?

A

Psychological explanations

28
Q

Which psychological model can be applied to the explanation of OCD?

A

Mowrer’s two process model

29
Q

How can the two process model be applied to OCD?

A

A neutral stimulus is associated with anxiety - the association is maintained as the anxiety-inducing stimulus is avoided - this leads to the development of an obsession

30
Q

How can the diathesis stress model be applied to OCD?

A

OCD manifests in genetically vulnerable individuals after an activating event that triggers the responsible genes

31
Q

In the study that supports the role of genes + the OFC, who was in the experimental group?

A

People with OCD and their immediate family members who didn’t have OCD

32
Q

In the study that supports the role of genes + the OFC, who was in the control group?

A

Individuals without OCD who were unrelated to the experimental group

33
Q

In the study that supports the role of genes + the OFC, what were the findings?

A

The OCD patients and their relatives had reduced grey matter in key regions of the brain, including the OFC

34
Q

What did researchers find about Tourette’s syndrome in relation to OCD?

A

That OCD is one form of expression of the same gene that determines Tourette’s

35
Q

For which other disorders are the obsessions observed in OCD and Tourette’s patients also observed? (2)

A

Anorexia nervosa and autism

Psychology: Psychopathology (8 decks)

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