On whiteboards…

What is an emotional
characteristic of OCD?
On whiteboards…

What is an behavioural
characteristic of OCD?
On whiteboards…

What is the cycle of OCD?

On whiteboards…

What a candidate gene?

On whiteboards…

How is the COMT gene linked to

OCD?
On whiteboards…

How can we investigate genetic

links for OCD?
On whiteboards…

What is a weakness of genetic

explanation for OCD?
Living with OCD…
Definitions of abnormality, including
deviation from social norms,
failure to function adequately,
statistical infrequency
deviation from ideal mental health.

The behavioural, emotional and cognitive characteristics of phobias, depression and obsessive
compulsive disorder (OCD).

The behavioural approach to explaining and treating phobias: the two-process model, including
classical and operant conditioning; systematic desensitisation, including relaxation and use of
hierarchy; flooding.

The cognitive approach to explaining and treating depression: Beck’s negative triad and Ellis’s
ABC model; cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), including challenging irrational thoughts.

The biological approach to explaining and treating OCD: genetic and neural explanations; drug
therapy.
 Stater: Genetic explanations AO3 paragraph
Environmental Factors:

● Individuals may gain a vulnerability towards

OCD through genes that is then triggered by
Weaknesses:
an environmental stressor (Diathesis stress
model) ● Cromer (2007) found over half of OCD patients =
traumatic event in past and OCD = more severe when
more than one trauma.

● Should we focus on environmental causes rather than

genetics?

● Do genetics play as an important role?

However…
 Obsessive Compulsive
Disorder - Neural explanations
● Students must be able to identify characteristics of OCD
● Students should be able to research areas of the brain linked to
OCD
● Students could be able to evaluate the neural explanation of
OCD
 Neural explanations:

Brain structure Brain chemistry

Brain structure and OCD:

● Orbital frontal lobe and thalamus

● Parahippocampal gyrus
● Basal ganglia system
Research these parts of the
brain to and find their
connection
to OCD
 Orbitofrontal cortex/ thalamus

● Some cases of OCD seem to be

associated with impaired decision
making which could be associated
with abnormal functioning of the
orbital frontal lobes/thalamus of
the brain (the areas which are
responsible for logical thinking and
decision making).
Brain structure and OCD:
• The OFC is involved in decision making and worry about
social and other behaviour.
• In OCD the OFC and the thalamus are believed to be
overactive.
• An overactive thalamus would result in an increased
motivation to clean or check for safety. If the thalamus
was overactive the OFC would also become overactive as
a result.
• An overactive OFC would result in increased anxiety
and increased planning to avoid anxiety.
Basal ganglia system

● Communication within certain

areas of the brain (e.g. the basal
ganglia system) is disturbed and
might account for the repetitive
behaviours seen in OCD
● Brain structures concerned with
motor movements (abnormal
functioning could explain the
repetitive movements)
Brain structure and OCD:

The basal ganglia is a brain structure involved in multiple

processes, including the coordination of movement. Patients
who suffer head injuries in this region often develop OCD-
like symptoms, following their recovery.
Furthermore, Max et al (1994) found that when the basal
ganglia is disconnected from the frontal cortex during
surgery, OCD-like symptoms are reduced, providing further
support for the role of the basal ganglia in OCD.
Parahippocampal gyrus

● Evidence suggests that the area of the

left parahippocampal gyrus is
associated with processing unpleasant
emotions/memory and that this
functions abnormally in people with
OCD.
What does
serotonin do?
Chemical
explanation
Chemical explanation:

Serotonin helps to regulate a person’s mood.

If a person has lower levels of serotonin (because of excess
What were the genes that we
absorption) then the regularlooked
transmission to regulate their
at that link to serotonin?
mood is impacted. This can impact their mood and other
mental processes. Some cases of OCD can be explained by
reduced levels of serotonin in the brain.
 Is it the brain structure or
neurotransmitters that cause OCD or is it
the OCD that causes the abnormal
functions of the brain structure and
neurotransmitters?
 PEEL paragraph exemplar:
P - A strength of the neural explanation as an explanation for OCD is that there is research
which supports the explanation.
E - Results from studies have shown when patients with OCD have been given
antidepressants to increase their serotonin levels, the OCD symptoms experienced by the
sufferer have decreased.
E - This decrease in OCD symptoms in patients when serotonin levels are increased
demonstrates that there must be a link between patients low serotonin levels causing their
OCD symptoms.
L - This matters because it means we are able to find treatments for patients and can make
OCD for patients more manageable through drug treatment as antidepressants can help to
decrease symptoms such as anxiety, which could then reduce the desire to fulfil the
compulsive behaviours
 PEEL paragraph exemplar:
P - A strength of the _______ explanation OCD is that there is research which supports the
explanation.
E - Results from studies have shown when patients with OCD have been given
____________ to increase their ________ levels, the OCD symptoms experienced by
sufferers _______
E - This decrease in OCD symptoms in patients when serotonin levels are ________
demonstrates that may be a _________ between patients low serotonin levels and their OCD
__________.
L - This matters because it means we are able to find __________ for patients and can make
OCD for patients more manageable. Drug treatment such as ____________ can help to
decrease symptoms such as a________, which could then reduce the desire to carry out the
__________ behaviours
 PEEL paragraph exemplar:
P - A strength of the _______ explanation OCD is that there is research which supports the
explanation.
E - Results from studies have shown when patients with OCD have been given
____________ to increase their ________ levels, the OCD symptoms experienced by
sufferers _______
E - This decrease in OCD symptoms in patients when serotonin levels are ________
demonstrates that may be a _________ between patients low serotonin levels and their OCD
__________.
L - This matters because it means we are able to find __________ for patients and can make
OCD for patients more manageable. Drug treatment such as ____________ can help to
decrease symptoms such as a________, which could then reduce the desire to carry out the
__________ behaviours
 Evaluation of neural explanations of OCD:
Weaknesses:
Strengths: ● Not clear what neural mechanisms are involved -
● Supporting evidence - studies have shown that decision making
systems often function abnormally in people
evidence of with OCD, however other brain systems have
antidepressants also been seen to be involved in some cases
working on the of OCD, but there has not been a system that
serotonin system, always plays a role in OCD
● Evidence does not show a cause - although
increasing levels of
evidence suggests neurotransmitters and
serotonin and structures do not function normally in people
reducing OCD with OCD it can not be said that this is the
symptoms cause of OCD, it could be a result of the OCD
 PEEL paragraph:

● Evaluation neural explanation as an explanation for OCD:

P - Point
E - Evidence
E - Explanation
L - Link
 Neural
explanation as
an explanation
for OCD…

PEEL
paragraph:
Swap and mark each others PEEL
paragraphs - can you identify
each section of the PEEL
paragraph - are they missing
anything? Provide each other a
WWW and EBI.
Whiteboard quiz!
Which of the following is a
emotional characteristic of OCD?

1.Awareness of excessive anxiety

2.Guilt
3.Repetitive compulsions
What does OCD
stand for?
What does
polygenic mean?
Which of the following is not a
cognitive characteristic of OCD?

1.Cognitive coping strategies

2.Depression
3.Obsessive thoughts
4.Awareness of excessive anxiety
What is a candidate
gene?
What is the correct order for the cycle of
OCD?
1. Anxiety, compulsive behaviour,
temporary relief, obsessive thought
2. Obsessive thought, anxiety, compulsive
behaviour, temporary relief
3. Obsessive thought, compulsive
behaviour, anxiety, temporary relief
What are the 3
emotional
characteristics of
OCD?