Psychopathology

Question 1

What are delusions?

Answer 1

Beliefs held unshakably, regardless of counter-argument, that are unexpected and out of keeping with the patient’s cultural background.

Question 2

What are primary delusions?

Answer 2

If the delusions appear out of nowhere with no preceding events or experiences to account for them.

Question 3

What are primary delusions indicative of?

Answer 3

Schizophrenia

Question 4

What are secondary delusions?

Answer 4

When delusions are based off of the patient’s environment around them (both physical and emotional)

Question 5

What are primary delusions also known as?

Answer 5

Delusional intuition

Question 6

What are secondary delusions also known as?

Answer 6

Delusional perception

Question 7

What is a nihilistic delusion?

Answer 7

When the patient believes they are dead or dying (rotting away from the inside)

Question 8

What is a characteristic of delusions seen in schizophrenia?

Answer 8

They are often unrelated to mood or emotions, with horrific events being described without apt distress from the patient

Question 9

What is Ekbom syndrome?

Answer 9

Delusional parasitosis - a delusion where the patient believes their skin is infested with parasites

Question 10

What is Capgras syndrome?

Answer 10

Where a person believes that the people around them have been replaced by exact replicas

Question 11

What is Fregoli syndrome?

Answer 11

The delusion where a patient believes that a single person is impersonating multiple familiar people in their lives

Question 12

What is Othello syndrome?

Answer 12

Jealousy - belief of a sexual partner being unfaithful without proof

Question 13

What is de Clérambault’s syndrome?

Answer 13

The belief that someone (usually a celebrity) is in love with them and is sending them secret messages or signs

Question 14

What is folie à deux?

Answer 14

Where an already psychotic person transmits their delusions to another person (close relative usually) who now shares them

Question 15

Visual hallucinations are much more common in ___ _________ and _______ than psychosis.

Answer 15

Eye pathology

Epilepsy

Question 16

What is a psuedohallucination?

Answer 16

A hallucination that the patient experiences but they are aware that it is not real

Question 17

What are extracampine hallucinations?

Answer 17

Hallucinations that occur out of the sensory field (i.e. ‘right behind me’. These are non-specific feelings that can be associated with epilepsy, psychosis and anxiety.

Question 18

What is pareidolia?

Answer 18

Where an ill-defined, random stimulus is given meaning without conscious effort (e.g. seeing a shape in clouds)

Question 19

What is thought derailment?

Answer 19

A break in the linked association of sequential thoughts or change in track of thoughts. Neither the patient or the observer understands the connection.

Question 20

What is thought omission?

Answer 20

All or part of a thought is absent without a reason

Question 21

What is thought substitution?

Answer 21

An inappropriate or illogical thought replaces another as though slotted into a space

Question 22

What is circumstantiality?

Answer 22

Where a person gives excessive, irrelevant detail without losing track of the question or topic

Question 23

What is overinclusion?

Answer 23

The inability to maintain the boundaries of a topic or restrict thoughts to the limits of a topic.

Question 24

What is verbigeration also known as?

Answer 24

• Word salad

- Schizophasia

Question 25

What is verbigeration?

Answer 25

Where speech is reduced to a senseless repetition of sound and phrases

Question 26

What is an obsession?

Answer 26

A thought which endures and dominates thinking even though the person knows that it is unhelpful and irrelevant. They cannot be dismissed or controlled leading to anxiety and distress.

Question 27

What is thought alienation/interference?

Answer 27

The subjective experience of one’s own thoughts being under the control of an outside agency.

Question 28

What are the different types of thought alienation/interferance?

Answer 28

1) Thought insertion
2) Thought withdrawal
3) Thought broadcast

Question 29

What blood results do you see in patients with anorexia?

Answer 29

Hypercholesterolaemia

Question 30

What are neologisms?

Answer 30

New words created and only understood by the patient

Question 31

What is adjustment disorder?

Answer 31

Abnormally excessive reactions to life stressors, usually interfering with social functioning and performance, which would not have arisen without the stressor

Question 32

What is the time scale to be diagnosed with adjustment disorder?

Answer 32

Between a few days to one month after the triggering event

Question 33

When is the diagnosis of delusional disorder made?

Answer 33

When a person has one or more non-bizarre (situations that are not real but also not impossible) delusional thoughts for one month or more that cannot be explained by any other condition.

Question 34

What is the correct management of a newly diagnosed patient with depression starting antidepressants?

Answer 34

Follow-up within 1-2 weeks then monthly for the next 12 months

Question 35

How long should you continue antidepressants after successfully treating depression?

Answer 35

9-12 months