Obsessive Compulsive

DisorderBy: Alexa Van Bergen, Nathan

Northcutt, Enrique Barajas, Sandy Fisher, Andrew Crist

What is OCD?

● Characterized by Obsessions and Compulsions

● Obsessions- recurrent and persistent thoughts, urges or images- the individual attempts to suppress them with another thought or action

What is OCD?

● Compulsions- Repetitive behaviors that the individual feels compelled to perform- Aimed at reducing anxiety, distress or preventing a dreaded situation

● Must be time consuming and cause clinically significant impairment and distress

Who has OCD?

● 1.2% of Americans have OCD.● Onset in later teens early 20s.● Women more than men, vice versa in

childhood.● 40% experience remission if diagnosed

in childhood.

Causes of OCD

Specific cause not yet discoveredVarious theories1.Biological2.Environmental3.Temperamental*Combination of all

Causes of OCD: Biological● Problems in communication between the front part of the brain

and deeper structures of the brain● “Leaky filter” in basal ganglia

-possibly caused by Group A streptococcal infections

Causes of OCD: Biological

● Neurochemical imbalances -low levels of serotonin -medications that affect serotonin

“normalize” brain circuits● Caudate nucleus (overactivity)

-brain region that controls habits● Runs in families

-no specific gene

Causes of OCD:Environmental

How risk for OCD increases● Physical/sexual abuse in childhood● Various infectious agents● Postinfectious autoimmune syndrome● Other stressful or traumatic events

Causes of OCD:Temperamental

Possible risk factors:1. Greater internalizing symptoms2. Higher negative emotionality3. Behavior inhibition in childhood

Behaviors

Obsessions lead to compulsions-Examples: obsession with orderliness can cause someone to arrange their canned goods to face a certain way

Compulsions depend on whatever the person is fixated on and are irresistible urges to behave in a certain way.

Behaviors

Behaviors are performed to relieve anxiety

These behaviors impact everyday life● Lengthy rituals can lead to tardiness● Some rituals can be harmful

-washing hands until they are raw

Living with OCD

- avalanche of intrusive images, or actions invading the conscious mind

- the obsessions are outside what the person can control.

- people with OCD don’t like the way that the word obsessed is used today

Continued.

- Anxiety comes from these obsessions.

- They use the compulsion to try to curb the anxiety.

- Self-help, when they need professional help

Howie Mandel

- diagnosed in mid 2000- Teased a lot in school

for his behavior.- hurt his career.- Howie known as a germaphobe. - has a separate house to get away

when he is too anxious.

Affects

- Found it hard to explain to his children when they were young why he acted funny.

- How would employers work around it.

- Stress on many different functions of everyday life.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

● Focuses on the relationships between thoughts, feelings, and

behaviors.

● Generally, 7 of 10 will benefit from treatment or medicine.

● There have been studies that show that brain functions improve

while using CBT.

● Considered a “First Line Treatment” in many anxiety disorders,

including OCD.

● Most effective CBT is know as Exposure and Response Prevention

(ERP).

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)

● “Exposure” confronts the thoughts, images, objects and

situations that causes the Anxiety

● “Response Prevention” is basically a choice. The choice of not

doing the compulsive behavior.

● This process starts of small; focusing on the smaller rituals or

checkings that cause the least amount of anxiety; as progress is

made, therapy focuses on the rituals and checkings that cause

the most anxiety.

● This type of therapy requires a commitment.

● 75% improvement with OCD

Deep Brain Stimulation

http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/24/health/brain-stimulation-ocd/

Deep Brain Stimulation

● New treatment

● Electrodes attached to brain- Electrical impulses sent through brain

● Used in cases where conventional methods have not worked

Pharmacotherapy ● Started back in the 1960s and uncontrolled● Clomipramine

o a tricyclic antidepressant with specific inhibitor of the reuptake of serotonin

o increases activity of certain chemicals in the braino 25mg every day at bedtime

● 1980s controlled o found to be an important advancement o trials then lead to a superior drug

● Fluvoxemineo SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor)o affects chemicals in the brain that become unbalancedo 20mg every day

Pharmacotherapy● Pretty effective ● SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor)

o the most effective pharmacotherapy for OCDo considered to be “first-line”

● Differs person to person ● Differs from those with anxiety and depression in two major

ways:o 1. OCD have a higher dosage of the SSRIs before seeing big

changes o 2. Improvements are gradual usually over 10-12 weeks

ReferencesPallanti S, Hollander E, Goodman WK

J Clin Psychiatry. 2004; 65 Suppl 14():6-10 Barbieri V, Lo Russo G, Francione S, Scarone S, Gambini OEpilepsy Behav. 2005 Jun; 6(4):617-9. Tass PA, Klosterkötter J, Schneider F, Lenartz D, Koulousakis A, Sturm VNeuropsychopharmacology. 2003 Jul; 28 Suppl 1():S27-34.

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“Deep Brain Stimulation.” - Mayo Clinic. Web. 12 Apr. 2015.

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