The biological approach to treating OCD

Question 1

How do you treat OCD?

Answer 1

As low levels of serotonin are related with OCD, we use drugs to increase serotonin and hopefully treat OCD.

Question 2

What is an SSRI and how do they work?

Answer 2

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor is an antidepressant. SSRIs work on the serotonin system in the brain. They prevent the reabsorption of and breakdown of serotonin, they increase serotonin in the synapse thus continuing to stimulate postsynaptic neuron.

Question 3

What do they often combine SSRI’s with?

Answer 3

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), to reduce a persons emotional symptoms, such as feeling anxious or depressed

Question 4

What are alternatives to SSRIS?

Answer 4

Tricyclics: has more serious side effects and used for those who do not respond to SSRIs. this acts on various systems including the serotonin system where it has the same effects as SSRIs

SNRIs: serotonin- noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors. Second line of defence for people who don’t respond to SSRI’s. more recently used to treat OCD. increases levels of serotonin AND noradrenaline

Question 5

evaluation of bio approach to treating OCD (brief)

Answer 5

strength - evidence for effectiveness: Soomro HOWEVER drugs not most effective treatment
strength - cost-effective and non-disruptive
weakness - can have serious side effects

Question 6

strengths of bio approach to treating OCD

Answer 6

one strength of drug treatment for OCD is that there is evidence for its effectiveness. Evidence shows that SSRI’s reduce symptom severity. Soomro et al, reviewed 17 studies that compared SSRIs to placebo in treatment of OCD. All 17 studies showed significantly better outcomes for SSRIs then placebos, 70% reduction in symptoms of people taking SSRIs. This shows that drugs appear to be helpful for most people with OCD. However, drugs may not be the most effective treatment for OCD. Shapinakis et al, carried out systematic review concluding that both cognitive and behavioural therapies were more effective then SSRIs in the treatment of OCD. This means that drugs may not be the optimum treatment for OCD.

Another strength is that drugs are cost-effective and non-disruptive to people’s lives. Drugs are cheap compared to psychological treatments. Using drugs for OCD is good value for public health systems like the NHS and represents a good use of limited funds. Compared to psychological therapies, SSRIs are non-disruptive to peoples lives, unlike psychological therapies which involve time spent attending therapy sessions. This means that drugs are a popular treatment for many people with OCD.

Question 7

weakness of bio approach to treating OCD

Answer 7

One limitation of drug treatments for OCD is that they can have serious side effects. Such as blurred vision and loss of sex drive. These side effects are usually temporary but can be quite distressing for people and for a minority they are long-lasting. For those taking tricyclics, side effects are more serious and more common.1 in 10 experience weight gain and 1 in 100 experience heart-related problems. Therefore, some people have a reduced quality of life as a result of drug treatments and may stop taking them altogether meaning the drugs cease to be effective.