treatment for ocd Flashcards
(12 cards)
what is the standard drug treatment for ocd?
SSRIs - which is an anti-depressant
how do SSRIs work?
- when the electrical impulse reaches the end of the presynaptic neuron, it triggers the release of neurotransmitters.
- in ocd, the serotonin fails to bind + reuptakes which reduces the amount of serotonin, increasing anxiety.
- SSRIs block the receptors in the presynaptic neuron which forces the neurotransmitter to pass on the message.
what are alternative treatments for ocd?
SNRIs ( serotonin noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors ) or neurosurgery
how do SNRIs work?
they block the reuptake of serotonin (mood) and noradrenaline (stress)
what are the two types of neurosurgery in treating ocd?
cingulotomy + deep brain stimulation
how does cingulotomy work in treating ocd?
drilling through the skull with a thermal probe which destroys cells in the cingulate gurus (regulates emotions + pain) and frontal lobes (reasoning, impulse control + judgements)
how does deep brain stimulation work in treating ocd?
involves the use of electrical impulses through electrodes implanted on the brain to target specific areas which doesn’t destroy cells.
explain the strength of research evidence for the treatment of SSRIs for ocd.
Soomro (2008) reviewed 17 studies that used SSRIs with ocd + found them to be more effective than placebos in reducing symptoms for up to 3 months - however most studies only tend to last 3-4 months, so long-term data is hard to find.
explain the strength of the convenience of SSRIs as a treatment for ocd.
it requires little effort to take pills, not time-consuming like talking therapies. it is cheaper to mass produce.
explain the weakness of side effects that come along with the treatment of ocd using SSRIs.
they tend to take 3-4 months to start working fully + many experience side effects such as nausea, insomnia, headaches, drowsiness, fatigue - which can be enough to stop treatment which reduces effectiveness.
explain the weakness of publication bias in studies studying the treatment of OCD.
studies thats how a positive correa,iron between drug and ocd symptom decreasing are more likely to be published as research is funded by the drug companies.
