Zusammenfassung der Ressource
the biological approach to treating OCD
- Drug Therapy
- aims to increase or decrease
levels of neurotransmitters
- SSRI
- work on the serotonin
system in the brain
- how? serotonin
- serotonin - released by presynaptic
neurons, travels across synapse
- neurotransmitter conveys the signals to postsynaptic neurons
- then reabsorbed by presynaptic neuron (then broken
down and reabsorbed)
- how? SSRI
- prevents reabsorption of presynaptic neuron
- increases level in synapse
- 3 -4 months of daily use
- combining SSRIs & CBT
- drugs reduce emotional symptoms
- can engage in CBT better
- alternatives
- Tricyclic
- older type of antidepressant
- clomipramine
- same effect on serotonin system as SSRI
- more serious side effects
- SNRIs
- increase levels of serotonin & noradrenaline
- second line of defence
- Evaluation
- effective at tackling symptoms
- Soomero
- all 17 studies showed better results with SSRIs
- greatest when combined with CBT
- workd for about 70% of patients
- other 30% use different drugs
- cost effective & non disruptive
- cheap compared to CBT
- good for NHS
- don't have to do any hard work like CBT
- they can have side effects
- e.g.
- indigestion
- blurred vision
- loss of sex drive
- clomipramine
- more serious
- 1 in 10
- erection problems
- tremors
- gain weight
- 1 in 100
- aggressive
- disruption to blood pressure & heart rhythm
- evaluation +
- unreliable evidence
- research sponsored by the drug companies
- may be biased
- cases that follow trauma
- drugs may not be appropriate
- a more cognitive approach may be better
- gets to the root of the problem