Mental Disorders for the MCAT: Everything You Need to Know – Shemmassian Academic Consulting (2023)

(Note: This guide is part of ourMCAT Psychology and SociologySerie.)

Part 1: Introduction to Mental Disorders

Part 2: Psychotic, Depressive, and Related Disorders

a) schizophrenia

b) Depressive disorders

c) Bipolar disorders

d) personality disorders

e) Somatic symptom disorders

Part 3: Behavioral and Related Disorders

a) Obsessive Compulsive Disorders

b) physical and eating disorders

c) Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

d) anxiety disorders

i) Dissociative disorders

Part 4: Additional neurological diseases

a) Aphasie

a) Parkinson's disease

c) Alzheimer's disease

Part 5: High Yield Conditions

Part 6: Passage-based Questions and Answers

Part 7: Independent Questions and Answers

Part 1: Introduction to Mental Disorders

Mental disorders are a distinctive set of feelings, thoughts, or behaviors that deviate from cultural norms and can cause distress to the sufferer.

ÖDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)is a standardized resource used to assist physicians in classifying and diagnosing these disorders. There are 20 different classes of mental disorders defined by the DSM. In the last few decades we have learned a lot about the physiology of these diseases and are able to classify them more and more accurately. In this guide, we cover several main types of mental disorders, their biology, and more.

It may also be helpful to keep biomedical and biopsychosocial treatment approaches in mind. These are frameworks or perspectives used to guide professional therapies and the treatment of a mental disorder.

Öbiomedical approachsees the root of these disorders in a physiological imbalance or disorder. If this is true, then the treatment method must also be biomedical in nature, aiming to reduce the symptoms of the disorder through a rigorous scientific neurochemical approach. This is a much narrower approach than the biopsychosocial approach because this approach does not focus on additional stressors and factors in a person's life that may contribute to or aggravate the disorder. For example, an anxiety disorder could stem from an imbalance of neurotransmitters in the emotional regions of the brain (a biomedical explanation), but it could also stem from patterns of neglect in a family (an environmental factor).

ÖBiopsychosocial approachit is a more holistic view of mental disorders. This approach takes biomedical, psychological, and social factors into account when considering stressors that may aggravate the disorder. As you might have guessed, biomedical factors relate to an individual's physiology; psychological factors relate to your thoughts and emotions; and social factors come from environmental and social factors beyond the control of the individual. Within this framework, biopsychosocial treatment can be combineddirect therapywith a patient (e.g. prescription medication or individual therapy sessions) andindirectly therapythat supports the individual with the help of family, friends or other components of the individual's social network.

This is a high yield Topic for the MCAT. Let us begin!

Part 2: Psychotic, Depressive, and Related Disorders

Many mental disorders appear to be inherited or genetic in some way. We will first address some of these disorders, starting with psychotic disorders.

a) schizophrenia

people who suffer from itpsychotic disorderssuffer from a psychosis. Psychosis can manifest itself in feelings of paranoia, delusions, hallucinations and a general loss of reality.

While the DSM lists various forms of psychotic disorders, the MCAT focuses on schizophrenia as a representative psychotic disorder.schizophreniait is characterized by the presence of multiple positive symptoms that characterize psychosis along with negative symptoms that further illustrate a deviation from normal behavior.

ÖProdromalphase,orprodromo,is a period immediately prior to the diagnosis of schizophrenia. Because this phase is characterized primarily by an abrupt change in behavior, family members and friends may notice "odd" behavior, including withdrawal from typical social activities and mood swings, over a period of weeks or months. The end of the prodrome is marked by the appearance of positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia.

positive symptomsrefer to behaviors or thoughts exhibited beyond a person's normal behavior, such as delusions, hallucinations, or nervous twitches.

Positive symptoms come in many shapes and sizes. These behaviors are considered "symptoms" because they deviate from the social norm of the culture in which they are observed. Hallucinations or delusions, for example, are considered common as part of rituals in some Caribbean cultures, but in Western culture they can appear like symptoms.

hallucinationsare false observations that do not correspond to reality, but are perceived as such. They can be auditory, like voices in a person's head, or visual, like seeing a dead relative. Auditory hallucinations are more common than visual ones.

delusionsBeliefs are held that directly contradict what is observed in reality. Delusions are usually recorded by one person and are not generally shared with multiple people.

Individuals can also begin to exhibit disorganized thoughts and behaviors. patients withdisorganized thinkingmay not be able to express a coherent narrative in conversations and instead express random thoughts.word saladis an extreme example of when the thoughts expressed are simply random words strung together.disorganized behaviorfollow a similar theme and relate to when a person is unable to go about their normal routine.

negative symptomsrefer to the absence or lack of normal behavior in a person, such as B. the inability to eat or a lack of emotions (orlack of affection).influencerefers to the representation and transmission of emotions. someone withflat effectshows virtually no emotion while having someoneinappropriate affectionshows affects that are inconsistent with the person's language or behavior.

Schizophrenia is also often associated withDownward Drift Hypothesis, which states that the symptoms of schizophrenia can lead to a decrease in wealth and social resources, putting the individual at greater risk of experiencing deteriorating social factors and increasing the intensity of the symptoms. This leads to a vicious cycle of worsening schizophrenia and socioeconomic status.

Based on genetic studies, the onset of schizophrenia appears to have a high hereditary factor. At the neurotransmitter level, individuals with schizophrenia appear to have elevated levels of dopamine in the brain.neuroleptics(dopamine receptor antagonists) are used to treat schizophrenia.

b) Depressive disorders

Although mood swings and natural sadness can last for hours or days,depressive disorderscharacterized by an unusually long period of sadness or intense emotion.Depressionis a mood disorder and is characterized by at least onemajor depressive episode.To be diagnosed with a major depressive episode, the patient must experience feelings of depression or sadness for at least two weeks and present at least five symptoms from the following list:

• low or depressed mood

• Anhedonie(loss of interest in previously interesting activities)

• Changes in appetite and weight gain or loss

• sleep disorders

• persistent guilt

• difficulty concentrating

• thoughts of death or suicide

• decreased energy in everyday activities

Depression is strongly linked to an overactive amygdala: a small structure in the brain that controls basic emotions like anxiety and fear. OMonoamine Theory of Depressiondescribes an important physiological feature associated with depression: decreased levels of the neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine.

Dysthymia may be diagnosed in patients with depressed mood that is not severe enough to be diagnosed as a major depressive disorder.Dysthymieit is commonly diagnosed in people who have been depressed and depressed for at least 2 years but have no other symptoms of major depressive disorder.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)it is not an isolated diagnosis in the DSM. Individuals who do not have major depressive disorder or dysthymia may still experience persistent depressed mood during the winter months. It is believed that the lack of sunlight in winter leads to disturbances in melatonin metabolism, thereby affecting mood. As a result,bright light therapyit is usually prescribed as a therapeutic method.

c) Bipolar disorders

Bipolar Disordersare characterized by a combination of manic (or hypomanic) episodes and depressive episodes.

manic episodesare periods characterized by intensely high energy, high productivity, decreased need for sleep, and/or grandiosity. These high spirits episodes must last longer than a week. Similar,Hypomanieit is a heightened level of arousal; however, it differs fromManiaas it does not interfere with the normal routines of the individual to the same extent.depressive Episodenwill manifest similar to those listed in depressive disorders, with periods of prolonged depressed mood and anhedonia.

There are three forms of bipolar disorder, each characterized by manic and depressive episodes of varying degrees.

1. A diagnosis ofBipolar I Disorderrequires documented manic episodes but may or may not require depressive episodes.

2. A diagnosis ofBipolar II Disorderrequires documented hypomania with at least one major depressive episode.

3. A diagnosis ofCyclothymiarequires a combination of hypomanic episodes and periods of dysthymia. Note that these periods of hypomania and dysthymia do not have to be as intense as periods of mania or depression.

Bipolar I Disorder, Bipolar II Disorder and Cyclothymia involve varying degrees of mania and depression.

ÖMonoamine/catecholamine theory of depressionexplains the origin of mania and depression through a neurological transmitter. According to this theory, an excess or deficiency of norepinephrine and serotonin leads to mania and depression, respectively.

d) personality disorders

personality disorderit manifests itself in patterns of behavior that appear erratic or strange by cultural standards. These disorders tend to distort the individual's emotions, interpersonal functioning, and cognition in ways that lead to impulsive actions and misinterpretations. Importantly, people with personality disorders tend to think of their behavior and thoughts as completely normal! They don't necessarily recognize these erratic thoughts and behaviors as abnormal or distressing.

Although there are many subtypes of personality disorders, they are generally classified into three overlapping groups. It is sufficient for the MCAT to distinguish disturbances as belonging to cluster A, cluster B or cluster C.

Group A disordersThese include paranoid, schizotypal, and schizoid personality disorders.paranoid personality disorderit causes individuals to be very distrustful of others and their motives.Schizotypal Personality Disordersare characterized by eccentric thinking that is not accepted by the cultural norm.Schizoid Personality Disorderapplies to people who have no interest in personal relationships with others or keep away from them. This group may well be remembered as the "strange" disorders.

Group B disordersThese include antisocial, borderline, histrionic, and narcissistic personality disorders.Antisocial Personality Disorderis characterized by disregard for the rights, feelings, or desires of others. Also known as sociopathy, it is characterized by a lack of remorse for one's actions.Borderline Personality Disorderit is characterized by instability in mood, interpersonal relationships, self-esteem and behavior and tends to be diagnosed more frequently in women.histrionic personality disordercharacterized by strong attention-grabbing behavior, particularly flirtatious acts or the use of brightly colored clothing.narcissistic personality disorderit applies to individuals with excessive demands for attention and self-esteem boosting. This group can be well remembered as the "wild" disorders.

Group C disordersinclude disorders that lead to activities that others may find anxious or anxious.avoidant personality disorderit is characterized by an incredible fear of rejection. Individuals with avoidant personality disorder may withdraw from social situations but desire interaction to avoid failure and rejection.dependent personality disorderit is characterized by a constant need for the safety and comfort of others. Individuals with dependent personality disorder are unable to act independently and are highly codependent. people withobsessive-compulsive personality disorderthey seem to have a strong need for order and cleanliness; They don't like to change their minds or routine and are very stubborn. (Note that this is not the same disorder as OCD, discussed below.) This grouping may well be remembered as the "worry" disorders.

e) Somatic symptom disorders

Although the mental disorders we've discussed occasionally result in erratic behavior, people often don't notice behavioral abnormalities or consider them abnormal. In contrast,somatic symptom disorderIt is typically diagnosed when a person has a somatic symptom - such as For example, a person may have chronic hand tremors, but all test and scan results indicate that the tremor is not due to a neurological condition.

conversion disorderit resembles a somatic symptom disorder in which individuals have an unexplained somatic symptom. However, these symptoms often follow traumatic events, such as B. a feeling of numbness in an arm after watching someone lose a limb – even though the arm muscles and motor neurons show no obvious damage.

illness anxiety disorderrefers to when a person is consumed with the thought of having an illness or disease. Individuals with Illness Anxiety Disorder may frequently visit hospitals and health clinics, over-demanding medical testing for fear that they may have multiple medical conditions.

Part 3: Behavioral and Related Disorders

Several mental disorders—including obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and dissociative disorder—can be triggered by environmental influences or past events in a person's life. Treatment of these disorders usually includesCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)🇧🇷 During CBT, a trained therapist or medical professional works with the patient to examine negative thought patterns or re-evaluate triggering events that may have led to the disorder.

CBT can be used in conjunction with medication but is primarily used to reshape the behavior or thought patterns underlying a psychological diagnosis. Because CBT is used to assess the patient's overall health and well-being, the therapist may also engage the patient's support system (e.g., family, friends, or co-workers) to create a supportive and supportive environment and remove stressors .

a) Obsessive Compulsive Disorders

obsessive compulsive disorderIt is shaped by obsessions and compulsions.The obsessionare thoughts that keep returning to the individual and repeat themselves until they harm him.

constraintsthey are behaviors that relieve the tension caused by the obsession. These compulsions can repeatedly go back to the door to make sure it's locked, or wash your hands multiple times -- to alleviate obsessions like worrying if the door is unlocked or over-awareness of dirt on the body.

b) physical and eating disorders

a human withBody Dysmorphic Disorderhave an extremely negative perception of their appearance - a belief that severely affects their self-esteem and interferes with daily routines. While many of us hold negative beliefs about our bodies, such as thinking we have a big nose or that we need to shed a few pounds after the holidays, body dysmorphia is only true when those perceptions are concerns we face in everyday life stand away. 🇧🇷

It's already in PortugueseIt is a body weight disorder that makes people overly concerned about being thin. These individuals may severely restrict their caloric intake, engage in extreme exercise and/or binge eating and binge eating.eat and cleanrefers to a cycle of eating large amounts of food (binge eating) and then self-inducing vomiting to expel the ingested food (purging). These individuals tend to be very thin and have a dangerously low body mass index (BMI). Despite their looks, they may have a desire to become thinner and thinner.

BulimiaIt is a body weight disorder similar to anorexia. Individuals are equally concerned about being thin and may engage in the same patterns of binge eating and depletion. However, these individuals generally appear to have a healthy weight and normal body mass index (BMI).

c) Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)occurs after experiencing a traumatic event such as war, death, or other tragedy. Individuals suffering from this disorder experience a characteristic cycle of intrusive thoughts, exhibit avoidance behaviors, and exhibit symptoms of physiological arousal.

intrusive thoughtsgetting the person to "relive" the event. Interactions with the environment or in the person's daily life may lead the person to believe that they are reliving past traumatic experiences. When patients experience these thoughts, they find it difficult to return to reality—even when they understand that they are not reliving past experiences.

avoidance symptomsare attempts to avoid similar situations or triggers that can lead to episodes of PTSD: including overtly removing memories or avoiding topics that can lead to additional intrusive thoughts.

arousal symptomsthey are often present, but do not necessarily coincide with intrusive thoughts or avoidance symptoms. These manifest as stimuli to the sympathetic nervous system and lead to similar symptoms such as irritability, anxiety and lack of sleep.

d) anxiety disorders

Anxiety disorders come in many forms.generalized anxiety disorderit is very common and refers to an ongoing preoccupation with many different environmental stressors. Symptoms of generalized anxiety can include fatigue, muscle tension, and trouble sleeping.

specific phobiasare irrational fears associated with certain objects or situations, such as spiders (arachnophobia) or the fear of closed spaces with no way out (Agoraphobia).

Social Anxiety Disorderrefers to anxiety in social situations that can lead to embarrassment. While it's normal and healthy for people to fear embarrassment when performing in a school play or asking questions in class, social anxiety disorder can prevent people from functioning in low-stress everyday situations, like the checkout counter. in a grocery store.

Panic syndromeconsists of repeatedpanic attacks, characterized by anxiety, sweating and hyperventilation. Panic attacks are no joke! People who experience them really do feel in imminent danger. Panic attacks strongly activate the sympathetic nervous system, activating the "fight or flight" instinct in response to an environmental stimulus.

i) Dissociative disorders

dissociative disordersare characterized by an apparent “escape from reality” to avoid stressors in the environment. Although people with dissociative disorders still have an understanding and understanding of reality, they tend to distance themselves from stress in unique ways.

dissociative amnesialeads to a breakdown of memories of past events. Here, patients distance themselves from reality by demonstrating amnesia that is not due to an underlying neurological disorder.

dissociative fuguerefers to a sudden withdrawal from normal daily activities. An individual in dissociative fugue may even forget who they are or assume a new identity with no memory of their "past" life.

dissociative identity disorder (DIS),Formerly known as "multiple personality disorder," it refers to the apparent existence of two or more distinct identities within a single person. These personalities can "compete" for control within a person, resulting in a single person exhibiting markedly different personalities, personal histories, and mannerisms.

depersonalizationis when an individual feels disconnected from their own mind and body - as in an "out of body experience".derealizationit is when an individual feels disconnected from their surroundings and the world seems dreamlike. Individuals experiencing depersonalization or derealization may even feel as if they are watching a facsimile of themselves moving through a fictional world. Importantly, they do not appear to be delusional or hallucinating.

Dissociative disorders are a very controversial group of mental disorders, particularly because scientific studies of dissociative disorders rely on patient testimony, making these claims difficult to verify. In addition, the diagnosis of dissociative disorders appears to be linked to cultural influences of the time, such as high-profile murder cases in which the killer confesses to having DID, or television programs featuring patients with DID. It is unclear whether DID is a real mental disorder that needs treatment or if it is a cultural construct.

Part 4: Additional neurological diseases

In this guide, we discuss the neurology associated with sympathetic nervous system stimulation in PTSD, or elevated serotonin levels in individuals with bipolar disorder. The MCAT can test you for additional disorders with a strong neurological etiology.

a) Aphasie

Aphasiarefers to the inability to produce or understand speech. There are two types of aphasia to look out for: Broca's aphasia and Wernicke's aphasia.

Broca's aphasia results from damage to Broca's area, an area in the frontal lobe responsible for speech and language production. People with Broca's aphasia are unable to form complete, understandable sentences, but they can understand speech well.

Wernicke's aphasia results from damage to Wernicke's area, an area in the temporal lobe responsible for understanding language. People with Wernicke's aphasia can pronounce words correctly, but their sentences may not have the right meaning or feel.

a) Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's diseaseit primarily affects older population groups and manifests itself as a movement disorder. Individuals can experienceTremble, or poor fine motor control. They may also exhibit bradykinesia (slow movement) and exhibit a "creeping" gait when moving or walking.

Parkinson's disease appears to be caused by a down-regulation of dopamine production in the substantia nigra. Oblack substanceIt is a region of the brain that helps promote the proper functioning of the basal ganglia through the use of dopamine. The basal ganglia are used to control smooth motor movements.L-DOPAIt is a precursor to dopamine that is converted to dopamine in the brain, which can help therapeutically replace lost dopamine due to Parkinson's disease.

stem cell therapyIt has also been suggested as a treatment for Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. This treatment method would use stem cells to regenerate and grow certain types of cells, including cells that produce dopamine in the case of dopamine-deficient patients. If successful, stem cell therapy can become a long-term treatment solution.

c) Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's diseaseit is a wayinsanity(severe loss of cognitive ability beyond what would be expected with normal aging). It's more common in older people. Women are more likely to be diagnosed, and it's certainly genetic.

Alzheimer's disease presents with several distinctive neurological signs and requires additional brain scans and imaging to diagnose. These includeBeta-Amyloid-Plaqueseneurofibrillary tangles of tau protein, abnormally large amounts of aggregated protein present in the brain. Other signs include decreased acetylcholine transmission and generalized cerebral atrophy. Although there are multiple therapies for Alzheimer's disease, there is currently no known cause or cure.

Part 5: High Yield Conditions

mental disorder: a characteristic set of feelings, thoughts, or behaviors that deviate from the cultural norm and may cause distress to the affected individual

Biomedical approach:sees the root of mental disorders in a biomedical imbalance or disorder

Biopsychosocial approach:a broader view of mental disorders that considers biomedical, psychological, and social factors in defining a disorder's origin

direct therapy: Help the person resolve their mental disorder with medication or regular meetings

Indirectly therapy: Increase support for the person with the help of family, friends, or other components of the person's social network

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM): a standardized resource to help physicians classify these disorders

Psychotic Disorders:a group of disorders resulting in at least one of the following: delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking or behavior, catatonia, or negative symptoms

schizophrenia: prototypical psychotic disorder; includes a prodromal period before the onset of psychotic symptoms, which may include negative and positive symptoms

Prodromal-/Prodromalphase:a phase that occurs before the diagnosis of schizophrenia; often includes social withdrawal, aggravation, odd behavior, and other similar symptoms

Positive symptoms:Behaviors or thoughts added to normal behavior, such as B. a nervous tic or hallucinations

negative symptoms: Symptoms representing a lack of normal behavior such as B. the inability to eat or the lack of emotions

delusions: false beliefs not observed in reality and not shared by others in the individual's culture; may include delusions of reference, persecution or megalomania

hallucinations: false observations that do not correspond to reality, but are perceived as such; Auditory hallucinations are more common than visual ones.

Disorganized thinking:a positive symptom related to spoken words and thoughts that are so stringed together that it is very difficult to follow them.

Katatonie: abnormal movements as a result of a disturbed mental state; may involve spontaneous movements or an inability to move

flat effect: when there are practically no signs of emotions

inappropriate affection: when the affection shown is inconsistent with the person's language or behavior

striving: Lack of engagement or participation in goal-oriented activities.

Downward Drift Hypothesis: postulates that schizophrenia leads to deterioration in socioeconomic status, which in turn may lead to worsening of symptoms; causes a vicious cycle of worsening schizophrenia and socioeconomic status

Depression: a mood disorder characterized by at least one major depressive episode lasting at least 2 weeks

Anedonien:Loss of interest in activities that were previously interesting

Dysthymie:a depressed mood not severe enough to be classified as major depressive disorder

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):a major depressive disorder with a seasonal onset, usually in the winter months

manic episodes: Episodes of extremely high mood lasting at least a week

Hypomanie:an increased level of energy or optimism; differs from mania in that it does not impair functioning and has no psychotic features

Bipolar I Disorder:alternating manic episodes that may or may not include depressive episodes

Bipolar II Disorder:Hypomania with at least one major depressive episode

Cyclothymic Disorder:a combination of hypomanic episodes and periods of dysthymia

Monoamine/Catecholamine Theory of Depression:states that too much of the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and serotonin leads to mania, while too little leads to depression

generalized anxiety disorder: refers to an ongoing preoccupation with many different factors in the environment

Specific phobias:irrational fears associated with certain objects or situations, such as spiders (arachnophobia) or fear of closed spaces with no way out (agoraphobia)

Social Anxiety Disorder: Anxiety in social situations that can lead to embarrassment.

Panic syndrome:consists of repeated panic attacks characterized by anxiety, sweating, and hyperventilation

obsessive compulsive disorder: characterized by obsessions (thoughts that keep coming back to the person and repeat themselves to the point of injury) and compulsions (behaviours that release the tension created by the obsessions)

Body Dysmorphic Disorder:Disorder in which the person has unrealistic negative perceptions of their personal appearance

It's already in Portuguese:body weight disorder, in which people are overly concerned about being thin; often look very thin and have a dangerously low body mass index

eat and clean: Cycle of eating large amounts of food (binge) and then self-inducing vomiting to expel the ingested food (purging)

Bulimia:anorexia-like body weight disorder; People exhibit the same binge eating and purging patterns and generally appear to have a healthy body weight

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): arises after experiencing a traumatic event such as war, death or other tragedy; Individuals suffering from this disorder exhibit intrusive symptoms, avoidance symptoms, negative cognitive symptoms, and arousal symptoms

dissociative disorders: Characterized by an apparent “escapism” to avoid environmental stressors

dissociative amnesia: inability to recall past events; Patients distance themselves from reality with amnesia that is not due to an underlying neurological disorder

dissociative fugue: sudden withdrawal from normal daily activities; Individuals in dissociative fugue may even forget who they are or assume a new identity

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DIS):formerly known as "multiple personality disorder"; a person appears to have two or more personalities that share control of the person

depersonalization:when a person feels disconnected from their own mind and body

derealization: When an individual feels detached from their surroundings and the world appears with a dreamlike quality

Somatic symptom disorder:typically diagnosed when a person has a somatic symptom that is not necessarily linked to an underlying medical condition

conversion disorder:similar to somatic symptom disorder in which individuals have an unexplained somatic symptom; These symptoms often follow traumatic events

illness anxiety disorder: A person is consumed by the thought of suffering from an illness or disease

Group A disorders: includes paranoid, schizotypal, and schizoid personality disorders; might be remembered as the "strange" glitches

Group B disorders:include antisocial, borderline, histrionic, and narcissistic personality disorders; can be well remembered as the "wild" disorders

Group C disorders: includes avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders; can well be remembered as the "concerned" disorders

The theory of tension diathesis: postulated that genetics provide a biological predisposition to schizophrenia, but environmental stressors trigger the onset of the disease

neuroleptics: Dopamine receptor antagonists for the treatment of schizophrenia

Insanity:severe loss of cognitive ability beyond what would be expected with normal aging

Beta-Amyloid-Plaques:abnormal protein clumps found in the brain; a feature of Alzheimer's disease

Neurofibrillary tangles with hyperphosphorylated tau protein: abnormal protein clusters found in brain; a feature of Alzheimer's disease

Parkinson's disease: characterized by poor fine motor control; appears to be caused by decreased dopamine production in the substantia nigra

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): commonly used treatment for mental behavior disorders; A trained therapist or medical professional works with the patient to examine negative thought patterns or reassess trigger events that may have led to the mental disorder

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs):joint therapy for depressive disorders; slows down the process of reuptake of serotonin from the synaptic clefts in the brain

Part 6: Passage-based Questions and Answers

A patient notices having intrusive thoughts at home. Occasionally he feels he hears the voices of people speaking to him and he cannot ignore them. These thoughts affect every aspect of your life. As a result, he is no longer able to maintain his social relationships or his productivity at work, causing him to lose his job and most of his friends. These symptoms came on suddenly.

1. Which of the following terms best describes this patient's loss of friends and employment because of his symptoms?

A) Downward drift hypothesis

B) Hypothesis of the vicious circle

C) Negative symptoms

D) Reference mania

2. Based on symptom onset, would this patient's prognosis be better or worse if onset was slower?

a better one

B) worse

C) would not change

D) Can't tell from the ticket information

3. The patient finds that he can no longer express feelings. Which of the following symptoms does this indicate?

A) Ecolalie

B) Willpower

C) Flat Effect

D) eco-practice

4. The patient notes that he has recently experienced changes in his thoughts that make him feel "not alone". This relates to:

A) Neologisms

B) Delusions

C) thought insertion

D) hallucinations

5. What is the most plausible diagnosis for this patient?

A) major depressive disorder

B) schizophrenia

C) cyclothymic disorder

D) Borderline Personality Disorder

Answer key for passage-based questions:

1. Variant A is correct.The downward drift hypothesis holds that schizophrenia causes a decline in socioeconomic status and social skills, leading to a worsening of symptoms that cause the decline again. The vicious circle hypothesis is not a psychological concept (choice B is wrong). Negative symptoms refer to a lack of normal behavior (choice C is wrong). Reference delusion is the patient's belief that environmental elements are particularly affecting him (choice D is wrong).

2. Variant A is correct.The rate of occurrence of symptoms during the prodromal phase tends to predict the patient's prognosis. If the patient has a rapid onset of symptoms, they are more likely to have a poor prognosis (Option B is wrong). On the other hand, if the rate of occurrence of symptoms decreased, the patient would likely have a better prognosis (option A is correct).

3. Variant C is correct.Flat affect refers to the absence of any emotion or emotional experience. Avolition refers to the lack of goal-oriented behavior (choice B is wrong). Echolalia is the useless repetition of another person's words (Choice A is wrong). Echopraxia is the useless repetition of another person's behavior (choice D is wrong).

4. Variant B is correct.Delusions are false beliefs or ideas that have no basis in reality (choice B is correct).Hallucinations are perceptions unrelated to external stimuli, such as B. Hearing sounds that do not actually exist (choice D is wrong). Neologisms are the invention of new words that don't exist (Alternative A is wrong). Thought insertion is the false belief that thoughts are being put into someone's head (choice C is wrong).

5. Variant B is correct.This patient is likely to present with the symptoms of schizophrenia. Major depressive disorder is characterized by a major depressive episode for which there is no evidence in the passage (choice A is incorrect). Cyclothymic disorder is characterized by a combination of hypomanic and dysthymic episodes (choice C is incorrect). Borderline personality disorder is characterized by unstable interpersonal relationships and an unstable self-image (choice D is incorrect).

Part 7: Independent Questions and Answers

Question 1: Constantly checking that the stove is off for fear of a fire before leaving the house is an example of the following?

A) Obsession

B) coercion

C) intrusion

D) escape

Question 2: The monoamine theory states that:

A) High levels of dopamine contribute to depression

B) Low dopamine levels contribute to depression

C) High thyroid hormone levels contribute to anxiety

D) Low thyroid hormone levels contribute to anxiety

Question 3: Bipolar I and Bipolar II disorders are two distinct mental disorders characterized by which of the following differences?

A) Bipolar I must include manic episodes and at least one depressive episode

B) Bipolar I must include a combination of hypomania and dysthymia

C) Bipolar II must include hypomania and at least one major depressive episode

D) Bipolar II must include manic episodes and may or may not include a major depressive episode

Question 4: Which of the following statements about the treatment of mental disorders is NOT true?

A) The biomedical approach focuses on the underlying somatic causes of disease

B) The biopsychosocial approach integrates biological, psychological and social factors into the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders

C) Direct therapy is a technique of biomedical approach that acts directly on the individual's family and helps them to help the individual's suffering

D) Indirect therapy is a technique of biomedical approach aimed at increasing the social support of the affected person

Question 5: Which of the following is an accepted therapy for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)?

A) L-DOPA

B) Catecholamintherapies

C) Light therapy

D) Neuroleptika

Answer the key to independent practice questions

1. Variant B is correct.Compulsions are actions taken to reduce the stress caused by obsessions. Obsessions are distressing thoughts that are intrusive and create tension in the individual (Option A is wrong). Intrusion symptoms are associated with PTSD and examples include flashbacks or nightmares (choice C is incorrect). Fugue is associated with dissociative disorders and refers to aimless straying from home or routine (choice D is wrong).

2. Variant B is correct.The monoamine/catecholamine theory of depression states that too much dopamine leads to mania, while too little leads to depression. Thyroid hormone is responsible for regulating metabolism and anxiety-like symptoms (options C and D are wrong).

3. Variant C is correct.Bipolar II disorder must include hypomania and at least one major depressive episode. Bipolar I disorder must include manic episodes and may or may not include major depressive episodes (choices A, B, and D are incorrect).

4. Variant C is correct🇧🇷 Direct therapy focuses on the suffering person and not their family and can take the form of medication or individual therapy (choice C is correct). As the name suggests, the biopsychosocial approach considers all three factors in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders (choice B is wrong). The biomedical approach is fully rooted in the biology of the individual and only focuses on somatic factors as the cause (choice A is wrong). Indirect therapy focuses on providing a support system for the grieving person and informing family and friends about ways to help (choice D is incorrect).

5. Variant C is correct.With light therapy, the patient is exposed to bright light for a certain amount of time each day, as there is a link between abnormal melatonin metabolism and the disorder. L-DOPA is used to treat Parkinson's disease (choice A is incorrect). Catecholamine therapy refers to any therapy that uses catecholamines, such as dopamine, but is not typically used to treat seasonal depression (choice B is incorrect). Neuroleptics block dopamine receptors and may help treat schizophrenia (choice D is incorrect).