1. Biological Approach & OCD

2. This topic! The biological approach (describe & evaluate)
Core assumptions: biological structures, genes, neurochemistry, evolutionary theories
How biopsychologists conduct their research (including twin studies: genotype & phenotype)
The endocrine system & fight or flight response
How neurons function
Biological explanations and treatments for OCD (describe & evaluate)

3. Chemicals in the brain and genes strongly influence human behaviour.
Assumptions:
The brain and the mind are the same, we can understand behaviour through the study of brain & spine (central nervous system).
Chemicals in the brain and genes strongly influence human behaviour.
Human behaviour has evolved biologically (Charles Darwin).
We have much in common with animals, especially those close to us on the evolutionary tree.

4. How to psychologists from the biological approach conduct their research?
Brain scanning techniques (EEG/ MRI)
Chemical experiments
Animal experiments
Case studies
The study of twins
What do you know about these techniques?
How and why are they used? What are researchers looking for?

5. Research using twins Concordance rates Monozygotic Dizygotic Genotype
Phenotype

6. Evolution Behaviour has evolved doe to natural selection.
What does this mean?
Where has our behaviour come from?

7. Key terms Genetics Central Nervous System Neurotransmitter Case Study
Genotype
Phenotype
Deterministic
Nature
Nurture
Mechanistic
Reductionism/ reductionist
Monozygotic
Dizygotic
EEG
MRI

8. Biological approach  Scientific methods used
 Application to treat patients
 Research if often correlation not cause & effect!
 Ignores the role of nurture
/ Deterministic theories

9. Central nervous system Peripheral nervous system
The nervous system
Central nervous system
Peripheral nervous system
ANS
Autonomic nervous system
SNS
Somatic nervous system
Parasympathetic
Rest & digest
Sympathetic
Fight or flight

10. The nervous system CNS (central nervous system)
PNS (peripheral nervous system)
ANS (Autonomic nervous system)
It is ‘autonomic’ because most of the system works automatically without our control. Two pathways – parasympathetic and sympatetic.
SNS (Somatic nervous system)
Muscle movement & receives input from sensory receptors

11. Endocrine system https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVrlHH14q3o
What does this system release?
What parts of the body does this effect?
‘Crines’ is Greek for?
What does the pituitary glad do?
What does the thyroid do?

12. Endocrine & ANS = Fight or Flight!

13. The fight or flight response

14. Find the red dot then click on it to move on...

20. How did you feel?
How did your body react?
How do you feel now?

21. The Nervous System

22. Autonomic (automatic!) nervous system = 2 pathways
Parasympathetic system = rest & digest
Sympathetic = fight or flight

23. Autonomic
nervous
system
Sympathetic
nervous
system
Parasympathetic
nervous
system

24. Fight or flight = Sympathetic nervous system is triggered
This causes the pituitary glad (endocrine system)to release ACTH (a hormone) which effects the adrenal glands
This causes adrenaline to be released which changes bodily responses e.g.
= the fight or flight response
When the threat disappears the parasympathetic system activates to calm the body down again

25. Fight or flight https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2GywoS77qc

26. Neurons and Synaptic transmission

27. 3 types of neurons:
Sensory Neurons
Motor Neurons
Connector Neurons

28. Sensory Neurons
Carry messages FROM the peripheral nervous system to the brain & spinal cord
Smell a rose
Put your hand on something hot

29. Motor Neurons
These carry messages away from the brain & spinal cord (central nervous system) to the muscles & organs.

30. Connector Neurons Only found in: Receive messages from:
Visual system
Brain
Spinal cord
Receive messages from:
Sensory neurons
And pass them on to:
Other connector neurons or motor neurons

32. The neuron and synapse Axon Dendrite Neurotransmitter Nucleus
Postsynaptic cell
Presynaptic cell
Synapse
Synaptic gap

33. The Neuron

35. The impulse travels down the a.............
The impulse activates the vesicles which move towards the pre-synaptic nerve and release their n
The impulse travels down the a
Neurotransmitters are released and attach to r on the postsynaptic cell which activate it
Left over neurotransmitters are sucked back into the presynaptic neuron through the process of re-u
Left over neurotransmitters are broken down by e in the synaptic gap/cleft.

36. Leftover neurotransmitters
Reuptake-
left over neurotransmitters are taken back into the original cell and recycled.
Enzymes-
break down any leftover neurotransmitters

37. Synaptic transmission
Extension 20m biopsychology video

38. Vesicles release neurotransmitter into synaptic cleft

39. Neurotransmitter binds to receptors & activates them

40. Leftover neurons are taken care of through the process of reuptake This is when the leftover neurotransmitters are sucked back into the pre-synaptic neuron.
This saves energy because the cell can recycle these neurons.

41. If a cell cannot perform re-uptake then enzymes are released to break down the leftover neurotransmitters.

42. Left over neurotransmitters are broken down by enzymes in the synaptic gap/cleft.
Neurotransmitters are released and attach to receptors on the postsynaptic cell which activate it
The impulse activates the vesicles which move towards the pre-synaptic nerve and release their neurotransmitters into the synaptic gap/cleft.
Left over neurotransmitters are sucked back into the presynaptic neuron through the process of re-uptake
The impulse travels down the axon

43. The synapse

44. OCD KAHOOT! Intro vid = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aX7jnVXXG5o
Prep for learning – what do you remember?

45. Evaluating
Genetics
Research evidence for genetic theory: Nestadt et al (2010) (page 153)
Application: how would it be useful to know you are genetically at risk?
Other factors – the role of the environment! Cromer (2007) 50% also had a trauma = what is the explanation?
Neural explanation
Application: drug treatments have been developed based on this theory to treat OCD
 Problems with cause and effect: this theory argues that the neural abnormality causes the OCD, is there another way of looking at this?

46. Drug therapy – based on the neural explanation (page 154)
SSRI’s – altering serotonin levels
How do they work?
Combining with other treatments: CBT

47. Drug therapy  Evidence it works: Soomro et al (2009) (page 155)
 Cost-effective & non-disruptive: how could you argue this is cheaper and why might a patient choose drugs over psychotherapy or CBT treatments?
 Side effects of SSRIs: use your phone to look them up!
Extension - alternatives to SSRI’s