OCD

OCD is a condition characterised by obsessions and compulsions

Behavioural Characteristics: 1. Compulsions - compulsions are repetitive , sufferers feel compelled to repeat a certain behaviour, e.g. wash hands. 2. Compulsions reduce anxiety - compulsions are performed to reduce anxiety produced by the obsession for example washing hands is a response of a fear of germs

Emotional Characteristics: 1. Anxiety & Distress - obsessive thoughts ate unpleasant and the anxiety that goes with these thoughts can be overwhelming. 2. Guilt - as well as anxiety and depression OCD sometimes involves other negative emotions such as guilt, which may be directed against something external or themselves

Cognitive Characteristics: - 1. Obsessive Thoughts - the major feature of their condition is obsessive thoughts, these are thoughts that reoccur over and over again which are unplesant and stop the person from settling. 2. People may respond by adopting cognitive strategies  to help manage anxiety. 3. OCD sufferers experience catastrophic thoughts about the worst case scenarios that might occur if their anxieties were justified.

* Some researchers think that genetics plays a part in OCD. Studies have looked at OCD rates among young people with relatives who have OCD, to see whether having a relative with OCD increases your chance of developing it.

* OCD is a condition which can be understood biologically. Genes are made up of chromosones and consist of DNA etc and Psychological features. Genes are inherited from parents to offspring. Lewis observed that his patients who suffered from OCD, 37% had parents who suffered from OCD and 21% had siblings, this suggests ocd runs in the family.

* Researchers have identified genes which create vulnerability for OCD, called candidate genes

* OCD is polygenic it is not caused by one single gene but several genes involved.(Taylor) found up to 230 different genes related to OCD.

* So OCD  runs in the family and what is passed on from one generation to the next is genetic vulnerability not OCD

1. There is good supporting evidence to support the idea that OCD is genetic and runs in the family. Billet et al carried investigations in twins over a long period and found that for identical twins if one twin had OCD, then 68% of the time the other twin would have OCD, supporting the idea that OCD is genetic

2. No study has found a 100% concordance rate, so genetics cannot be the only component for OCD, there must be environmental factors to take into account. A child may imitate the obsessive behaviour from their parents as they are seen as role models. 

3. Becuase OCD is a candidate gene, psychologists have not been successful in pinning down the genes involved. One reason for this is that it appears that several genes are involved, so genetic explanation are unlikely to be useful as they have little practical value.

Using Pet scans has found that abnormalitys within the brain may be linked to OCD

Neural explanations is the idea that the genes associated with OCD are likely to affect the levels of key neurotransmitters, and the structure of the brain.

*One explanation for OCD concerns the role of the neurotransmitter, serotonin which is believed to help regulate mood. Neurotransmitterrs are responsible for relaying information from one neuron to the next, if a person has low levels of serotonin the normal transmission of mood information does not take place. So the reduction of functioning of the serotonin system in the brain may result in OCD.

OCD can also be explained through impaired decision making through abnormal functioning of the frontal lobes in the brain. The frontal lobes are responisble for logical thinking and decision making resulting in OCD

There is evidence to support the role of neurotransmitters. Antidepressant drugs increase the levels of serotonin and increase the levels of neurotransmitters, these drugs are effectie in reducing OCD, suggesting the serotonin system is involved in OCD.

Max et al found increased rates of OCD in people after head injuries which caused brain damage. Supporting the point that when the bain cannot function and there are impairements in the frontal lobes, OCD occurs.

OCD is also often found with people who have diseases on the brain and have an impaired decision making process such as Parkinson Disease.

* There is evidence to suggest that various neurotransmitters and strutures of the brain do not function normally with sufferers of OCD. However you cannot infer from this that abnormal brain functioning causes OCD. 

* The biological approach to treating OCD involves drugs.

* Drug Therapy aims to increase or decrease the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain or increase/decrease their activity. 

*  Low levels of Serotonin is associated with OCD so drugs will increase the level of serotonin in the brain.

* Standard medical practice used to tackle symptoms of OCD involve antidepressant drugs known as SSRI's, these drugs increase the avilability of serotonin.

* Serotonin is released by the presynaptic neuron and travels accross the synapse, the neuron dispurses signals from presynaptic neuron to the post synaptic neuron. SSRI's prevent the reuptake of sertonin by the presynaptic neuron in the synaptic cleft, meaning there is more serotnin for the next neuron.

* Drugs are often also used alongise CBT to treat OCD. Drug reduces a patients emotional symptoms so a patient can engage more effectively with the CBT.

* Drug Therapy is effective in treating OCD, improving the quality of life for the OCD Patients. (Thoren et al) found that the use of an SSRI was significantly better at reducing obsesive thoughts compared to a placebo

* Drug Therapy is cheap compared to psychological treatments, so using drugs to treat OCD has good value for the NHS. 

* Drug Therapy also doesnt interfere with the patients lives, people can simply take the drugs until there symptoms decline, doctors like drugs for these reasons.

* Drug Therapy can have side effects, includes nausea, headaches, blurred vision, these side effects are usually temporary. This can stop people from taking their medication so there mental condition doesnt improve.

* Up to 50% of OCD patients dont experience any improvement in their symptoms when taking SSRI's, and out of those who do see improvements, 90% have worse side effects and worse OCD relpase when they stop taking the antidepressant drugs