The Biological Approach to OCD
- Created by: Thunder1107
- Created on: 01-09-17 14:34
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- The Biological Approach to OCD
- Treatment
- SSRI's
- These are the most common drugs for treating OCD
- They work by preventing the re-absorption of serotonin
- Increases the level of serotonin in the synapse and stimulate the post-synaptic neuron
- SSRI's and CBT
- The drugs reduce emotional symptoms
- This means the patient can engage with CBT better
- So patients may only need CBT and not SSRI's
- Alternatives
- Tricyclics - it blocks the re-absorption of serotonin and nor-adrenaline
- GABA - it is a neurotransmitter that regulates excitement in the NS acting as an anxiety reducer
- Patients respond differently to different drugs as some drugs work for one person but not another
- SSRI's
- Explinations
- Genetics
- A possible gene is SERT which regulates serotonin
- Also the COMT gene which regulates dopamine
- Genes have been looked into in twin studies and family studies
- Higher % of OCD sufferers have family with the condition
- OCD may have a genetic predisposition to suffer from the illness
- The biological approach looks at genes, hormones, evolution, CNS, endocrine
- The condition could also be hereditary
- These basic assumptions are taken from animals
- Neural
- Certain brain areas are thought to be involved in OCD including the OFC and Thalamus
- The OFC and Thalamus are believed to be overactive leading to increased anxiety and motivation to check an clean
- The Basal Ganglia is involved in movement and in OCD repetitive motor functions
- Abnormal levels of certain neurotransmitters could lead to certain brain circuits being abnormal
- Genetics
- Treatment
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