Neurodevelopmental & Schizophrenia
What age range do neurodevelopmental disorders usually begin in?
During the developmental period: usually in childhood or adolescence.
What is the key difference between major depressive disorder and persistent depressive disorder?
Major = more severe but shorter duration; Persistent = milder but lasts at least 2 years.
What does GAD stand for and what is it?
Generalized Anxiety Disorder; long-lasting worry about many things.
What causes PTSD? and what does it stand for?
Exposure to a traumatic or stressful event, like war or abuse. PTSD stands for Post-traumatic stress disorder.
Thomas has trouble staying seated, constantly fidgets, and interrupts others. What disorder does Thomas have?
ADHD
A 9-year-old boy shows intense resistance to change, avoids eye contact, and repeats phrases. What disorder and why?
Autism spectrum disorder; symptoms include social communication deficits and restricted, repetitive behaviors.
During a manic episode, what behaviors might a person exhibit?
Inflated self-esteem, rapid speech, risky behaviors, decreased need for sleep, distractibility.
Define specific phobia and give an example that fits this diagnosis.
Intense, irrational fear of a specific object or situation. Example: fear of spiders (aracnophobia).
A woman with dissociative amnesia disappears and lives under a new name in another city. Is this amnesia with fugue or without fugue.
with fugue; because it involves memory loss and sudden travel.
Maria refuses to throw away newspapers and old food, believing she’ll need them. What disorder?
Hoarding disorder
A woman believes her neighbors are aliens spying on her and that she has telepathic powers. What are these symptoms, and which disorder might this indicate?
These are delusions; common positive symptoms of schizophrenia.
Compare Bipolar I and Bipolar II disorders. What distinguishes the manic symptoms in each?
Bipolar I includes full manic episodes; Bipolar II includes hypomania (less intense) and depressive episodes.
Clara experiences racing heart and choking sensations with no warning. What disorder does she likely have?
Panic disorder; sudden panic attacks without identifiable triggers.
What’s the main difference between dissociative amnesia and dissociative identity disorder?
Amnesia = memory loss; DID = two or more distinct identities.
Isaac believes strangers can hear his thoughts and that his mind is being controlled. What’s the diagnosis?
Schizophrenia (delusions and thought broadcasting are common symptoms)
What is the difference between positive and negative symptoms in schizophrenia? Give an example of each.
Positive = added abnormal behaviors (e.g., hallucinations); Negative = absence of normal behaviors (e.g., flat affect).
James cycles between days of intense energy and risky behavior, then weeks of sadness and fatigue. Give a Diagnosis and reasoning
Bipolar disorder; alternating manic and depressive episodes suggest bipolar cycling.
Explain how generalized anxiety disorder differs from panic disorder.
GAD = chronic, nonspecific worry; Panic disorder = sudden, acute episodes of extreme fear.
What are the three personality disorder clusters?
odd, dramatic, anxious
Camille has prolonged anxiety, avoids crowds, and can’t ride the bus alone. What’s the diagnosis?
Agoraphobia
Describe catatonia and explain how it can be both a positive and a negative symptom in schizophrenia spectrum disorders.
Catatonia is disordered motor behavior. It can involve excitement (positive) or immobility (negative).
Explain two possible causes of depressive disorders using both biological and cognitive approaches.
serotonin imbalance, genetic predisposition; Cognitive: learned helplessness, negative thinking patterns.
A man washes his hands 50 times a day due to fear of contamination. Distinguish between obsession and compulsion.
Obsession = intrusive thought (contamination); Compulsion = repetitive act (hand-washing to reduce anxiety).
Discuss possible causes of borderline personality disorder, including social and cognitive explanations.
Childhood trauma, invalidating environments, difficulty regulating emotions, black-and-white thinking.
Jordan alternates between bursts of energy where he can’t sleep and weeks of intense depression. What disorder? Be specific
Bipolar I disorder