One of the disorders discussed in Chapter 15 is obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Define obsessions and compulsions. According to your textbook, what brain abnormality may be associated with OCD?

Question

Because OCD appears to involve a biological abnormality, is a biological treatment most appropriate? Support your answer with information from the PET-scan studies of people taking Prozac or receiving cognitive-behavior therapy with no medication.

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Answer: A good answer will include the following key points.
• An obsession is a recurrent, persistent, unwished-for thought or image, whereas a compulsion is a repetitive, ritualized, stereotyped behavior that the person feels must be carried out to avoid disaster.
• In many people with OCD, abnormalities in an area of the prefrontal cortex create a kind of cognitive rigidity, an inability to let go of intrusive thoughts, and behavioral rigidity, an inability to alter compulsive behavior after getting negative feedback. Biologically based disorders do not necessarily require biological treatments.
• In studies using PET scans of people with OCD who received medication alone (Prozac) or cognitive-behavior therapy alone, both groups showed similar improvement, as measured by the PET scanner. Changing your behavior and thoughts through psychotherapy or other new experiences can change the way your brain functions as demonstrated in this study.