Biological Explanation for OCD 16 marks
The Biological approach suggests that OCD has genetic and neural causes. Taylor found that
there are 230 genes relating to OCD such as the SERT gene and the COMT genes, making
OCD a polygenetic disorder. These genes can be inherited from family members as
demonstrated by Lewis who found that 37% of people with OCD have one or more parents
with the disorder and 21% have a sibling, suggesting that OCD is inheritable. Still, there are
alternative neural explanations such as lower levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin found
in the synaptic cleft in people with OCD or increased activity in the orbitofrontal cortex and
basal ganglia. This overactivity in these brain structures has been linked to obsessive
thinking while in neurotypical brains they are usually linked to worry related thinking. Due
to this it is argued that OCD does have biological causes however the diathesis stress
explanation has been considered the most valid explanation. This suggests that people that
have OCD have a biologically vulnerability to the disorder, such as an inherited gene, which
is then triggered by the environment causing them to develop the disorder.
One strength of the biological explanation for OCD is that there is practical application in the
form of successful drug treatments. For example the use of SSRI’s such as Fluoxetine have
been proven (as shown in a meta-analysis by Soomro) to have positive effects in reducing
OCD symptoms by increasing the amount of serotonin in the synaptic cleft. This shows how
the biological explanation of OCD has wider positive implications for society.
Additionally, a further strength of the biological explanation for OCD is that there is
supporting research. For example, Max et al found that when the Basal Ganglia was
disconnected during surgery OCD like symptoms reduced linking this brain structure to the
disorder. Furthermore, a study by Nestadt found a 68% concordance rate between
monozygotic twins and a 31% concordance rate between dizygotic twins highlighting the
genetic causes of the disorder as well. This evidence demonstrates the validity of the
biological approach to explaining OCD.
A limitation of the biological explanation to OCD is that it can be seen as biologically
deterministic. This is because it implies that people that have these genes and biological
differences will unavoidably develop the disorder. This can negatively impact suffers of OCD
by leading them to believe that they cannot ‘escape’ the disorder leading to a self-
determining prophecy whereby they believe they cannot escape the disorder and therefore
don’t attempt to. This shows that the biological explanation could negatively impact people
with OCD making them believe that they cannot overcome the disorder.
Still, another strength of the biological approach’s explanation of OCD is that it uses highly
scientific methods to gather it’s data. This is because it uses empirical methods such as brain
scanning for example fMRI’s and DNA analysis in order to collect the data and draw
conclusions. This means that the biological explanation of OCD has high internal validity.
The Biological approach suggests that OCD has genetic and neural causes. Taylor found that
there are 230 genes relating to OCD such as the SERT gene and the COMT genes, making
OCD a polygenetic disorder. These genes can be inherited from family members as
demonstrated by Lewis who found that 37% of people with OCD have one or more parents
with the disorder and 21% have a sibling, suggesting that OCD is inheritable. Still, there are
alternative neural explanations such as lower levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin found
in the synaptic cleft in people with OCD or increased activity in the orbitofrontal cortex and
basal ganglia. This overactivity in these brain structures has been linked to obsessive
thinking while in neurotypical brains they are usually linked to worry related thinking. Due
to this it is argued that OCD does have biological causes however the diathesis stress
explanation has been considered the most valid explanation. This suggests that people that
have OCD have a biologically vulnerability to the disorder, such as an inherited gene, which
is then triggered by the environment causing them to develop the disorder.
One strength of the biological explanation for OCD is that there is practical application in the
form of successful drug treatments. For example the use of SSRI’s such as Fluoxetine have
been proven (as shown in a meta-analysis by Soomro) to have positive effects in reducing
OCD symptoms by increasing the amount of serotonin in the synaptic cleft. This shows how
the biological explanation of OCD has wider positive implications for society.
Additionally, a further strength of the biological explanation for OCD is that there is
supporting research. For example, Max et al found that when the Basal Ganglia was
disconnected during surgery OCD like symptoms reduced linking this brain structure to the
disorder. Furthermore, a study by Nestadt found a 68% concordance rate between
monozygotic twins and a 31% concordance rate between dizygotic twins highlighting the
genetic causes of the disorder as well. This evidence demonstrates the validity of the
biological approach to explaining OCD.
A limitation of the biological explanation to OCD is that it can be seen as biologically
deterministic. This is because it implies that people that have these genes and biological
differences will unavoidably develop the disorder. This can negatively impact suffers of OCD
by leading them to believe that they cannot ‘escape’ the disorder leading to a self-
determining prophecy whereby they believe they cannot escape the disorder and therefore
don’t attempt to. This shows that the biological explanation could negatively impact people
with OCD making them believe that they cannot overcome the disorder.
Still, another strength of the biological approach’s explanation of OCD is that it uses highly
scientific methods to gather it’s data. This is because it uses empirical methods such as brain
scanning for example fMRI’s and DNA analysis in order to collect the data and draw
conclusions. This means that the biological explanation of OCD has high internal validity.
