Neurobiology
Neurodevelopmental
Psychosis
Mood
Anxiety
100

Region of the brain that is the primary region for fear processing.

What is the amygdala?

100

This is the most common heritable cause of intellectual disability.

What is Fragile X?

100

List 3 of the 5 symptoms in Criteria A for schizophrenia

1. Delusions 2. Hallucinations 3. Disorganized Speech 4. Grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior 5. Negative symptoms (i.e., diminished emotional expression or volition)

100
Name five of the nine core symptoms of a major depressive episode.
1. Depressed mood 2. Loss of interest or pleasure 3. Significant weight gain or loss, or appetite up or down 4. Insomnia or hypersomnia 5. Psychomotor agitation or retardation 6. Fatigue or loss of energy 7. Feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt 8. Diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness 9. Recurrent thoughts of death or suicidal ideation
100
A 7-year-old girl is brought to a therapist by her parents because she refuses to attend school. She has pretended to be sick several times each week for the past month to avoid going to school. She reports fear of being away from her mother during the day, and she reports nightmares of “bad accidents” happening to her mother. This is the most likely diagnosis.
What is Separation Anxiety Disorder?
200

The specific region of the brain that has primary functions including high-order abstract thought, creative problem solving, temporal sequencing of behavior, and moral judgment.

What is Prefrontal cortex?

200

A 25-year-old man with intellectual disability has lived in a group home all of his adult life. He can read his name and a few other words. He is able to take care of his activities of daily living such as bathing and other personal hygiene tasks and doing laundry. He was in special education throughout school. This is the probable severity of his intellectual disability.

What is Moderate?

200
You are treating a patient with schizophrenia on an inpatient unit. The patient has displayed disorganized behavior throughout the hospitalization. One day at morning rounds, the patient mimics your hand gestures without reason. This is the term for this behavior.
What is Echopraxia?
200
Name four of the seven core criteria for a manic episode (in addition to elevated, expansive, or irritable mood).
1. Inflated self-esteem or grandiosity 2. Decreased need for sleep 3. More talkative than usual or pressure to keep talking 4. Flight of ideas or racing thoughts 5. Distractibility 6. Increase in goal-directed activity or psychomotor agitation 7. Excessive involvement in activities that have high potential for negative consequences (i.e., impulsivity)
200
A teacher asks the parents of a 10-year-old boy to meet with her. She reports that since the boy started at the school 2 months ago, he has barely said a word and participates minimally in classroom activities. The parents report that, on the contrary, the boy is very talkative at home and they haven’t noticed any areas of concern. This is the most likely diagnosis.
What is Selective Mutism?
300

The site in the brain that is the origin of the norepinephrine system.

What is Locus coeruleus?

300

An 8-year-old boy is brought to a child psychiatrist for an evaluation. His parents report that he is socially awkward and has trouble making friends. His grades are very good. The boy is polite but overly formal in conversation. He avoids eye contact. His parents report that he sticks to a rigid routine at home and has an unusually intense interest in US presidents, and can name all of them in correct order. When this is brought up, the child begins a lengthy discourse on them. This is the most likely diagnosis.

What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?

300
A 24-year-old woman is admitted to an inpatient psychiatric unit for acute psychosis. She endorses auditory hallucinations and persecutory delusions and has an inappropriate affect. She has no previous episodes, she has not been abusing substances, and medical workup does not show a clear etiology for her symptoms. She has not shown clear symptoms of a major depression or of mania. At this point, her total duration of illness is 2 weeks. This is the most appropriate diagnosis.
What is Brief Psychotic Disorder?
300
A 28-year-old man is brought to ER by police for psych eval after his neighbors reported he was behaving erratically. He is irritable and displays pressured speech, and he has only slept a few hours in past several days. He believes the FBI has implanted a microchip in his brain to record his thoughts and send him messages. He derails frequently in conversation. Physical exam is significant for dental caries and urine drug screen is positive for methamphetamine. This is the most likely diagnosis.
What is Substance-Induced Psychosis? (will accept Stimulant Use Disorder)
300
A 20-year-old college student develops symptoms of intense anxiety, racing heart, dizziness, diaphoresis, and shortness of breath. The symptoms resolve within less than 30 minutes. Prior to developing these symptoms, he had consumed several cups of coffee in an effort to stay up late studying for an exam. He had no prior episodes like this. This is the most likely diagnosis.
What is Substance-induced Anxiety Disorder?
400

The nucleus accumbens is a key part of this functional system in the brain.

What is Reward system? (will accept Addiction)

400

To diagnose ADHD in a patient, DSM-5 requires some symptoms to have been present before this age.

What is 12?

400
This brain abnormality, visible on imaging, is associated with poor premorbid functioning, negative symptoms, poor response to treatment, and cognitive impairment.
What is Ventricular enlargement?
400
A 10-year-old boy is brought to his family physician by his parents. He has had recurrent severe behavioral outbursts at home and at school several times a week for the past several years. Outbursts are typically in reaction to minor disappointments or when he is asked to do routine chores. His parents did not seek attention before because they thought he would outgrow it. Between outbursts, the boy’s mood is “grumpy.” This is the most likely diagnosis.
What is Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder?
400
A 30-year-old woman complains to her new family physician of feeling “wound up” all the time. She describes herself as a “worrier” and feels she has always been this way, always worrying about “everything.” She has chronic insomnia and reports having muscle tension in her neck and shoulders. She has a hard time concentrating. She drinks a cup of coffee in the morning but otherwise does not use stimulants. She denies depression or substance use. This is the most likely diagnosis.
What is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?
500

This neurotransmitter provides inhibitory modulation to the globus pallidus, which if lost, will result in the choreiform movements of Huntington’s disease.

What is GABA?

500

This is how the diagnosis of Tourette’s Disorder is different from a persistent motor or vocal tic disorder.

What is having both motor and vocal tics?

500
This hallmark feature of schizoaffective disorder distinguishes it from major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder.
What is the presence of delusions or hallucinations for at least 2 weeks in the absence of a major mood episode?
500
This is what it means for a patient with bipolar disorder to have “rapid cycling."
What is at least four distinct mood episodes (i.e., mania or depression) in one year?
500
A 42-year-old woman comes to the office complaining of a 2-week history of episodes of dizziness and feeling as though she will pass out. The episodes last less than 5 minutes and are accompanied by a flushing sensation. She is afraid to go to sleep due to a fear that her heart will stop beating. She has presented to the ER four times in the past month with complaints of chest pain, and cardiac workup has been consistently negative. She has no history of cardiac disease. EKG checked today shows sinus tachycardia. This is the most likely diagnosis.
What is Panic Disorder?
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