FMGE 2019 — Psychiatry

Q: Fear of "places from where escape is difficult" is called ______

Agoraphobia. ***Agoraphobia*** - **Agoraphobia** is the intense fear and anxiety of situations or places that might be difficult to escape from or where help might not be available, such as open spaces, crowds, or public transportation. - Individuals with agoraphobia often avoid these situations or endure them with extreme distress, sometimes resulting in being housebound. *Claustrophobia* - **Claustrophobia** is the intense fear of tight, enclosed spaces, such as elevators, small rooms, or MRI machines. - This phobia is distinct from agoraphobia, which centers around difficulty escaping rather than the space itself. *Aerophobia* - **Aerophobia** is the fear of flying, specifically involving airplanes or other forms of air travel. - It is a specific phobia related to a particular situation, not a generalized fear of inescapable places. *Ailurophobia* - **Ailurophobia** is the irrational fear of cats. - This is a specific animal phobia and has no relation to the fear of open spaces or situations from which escape might be difficult. [Practice more Psychiatry PYQs on OnCourse]

Q: Neologism is seen in:

Schizophrenia. ***Schizophrenia*** - **Neologisms** are newly coined words that have meaning only to the person who invents them, and they are a characteristic **thought disorder** symptom often observed in schizophrenia. - This symptom reflects the **disorganized thinking** and **impaired communication** typical of the disorder. *Mania* - While individuals in a manic episode may exhibit **rapid speech**, **flight of ideas**, and **pressured speech**, they typically do not create entirely new words (neologisms). - Their speech is usually characterized by **excessive quantity** and quick topic changes, rather than word invention. *Depression* - Depression is associated with **poverty of speech**, **slowed thought processes**, and a focus on negative themes. - **Neologisms** are not a feature of depressive episodes. *Dysphasia* - **Dysphasia** (or aphasia) refers to an impairment in the production or comprehension of language due to brain injury, such as stroke. - While speech may be **disrupted** or **grammatically incorrect**, it primarily involves difficulty using existing words correctly rather than producing entirely new ones. [Practice more Psychiatry PYQs on OnCourse]

Q: A 24-year-old lady presented with sudden onset chest pain, palpitations lasting for about 20 minutes. She says there were 3 similar episodes in the past. All the investigations were normal. What is the likely diagnosis?

Panic attack. ***Panic attack*** - The sudden onset of **chest pain** and **palpitations** in a young woman, lasting for a brief period (20 minutes), and occurring in recurrent episodes with all investigations being normal, are classic signs of a **panic attack**. - Panic attacks frequently mimic cardiac events, but the absence of organic findings despite recurrent episodes points towards a psychological origin. *Post-traumatic stress disorder* - While PTSD can involve symptoms of anxiety and panic, it is specifically triggered by a **traumatic event** and typically includes re-experiencing the trauma, avoidance, and hyperarousal, none of which are described here. - The patient's presentation primarily focuses on sudden physical symptoms rather than a direct link to past trauma or pervasive fear. *Acute psychosis* - Acute psychosis involves a severe break from reality, characterized by **hallucinations**, **delusions**, or disorganized thought and behavior, which are not present in this scenario. - The symptoms described are more consistent with an anxiety disorder rather than a thought disorder. *Mania* - Mania is a state of elevated mood, increased energy, and often includes symptoms like **reduced need for sleep**, **racing thoughts**, and **impulsive behavior**, which are not described in this patient's presentation. - The core symptoms are acute physical sensations of fear and discomfort, not sustained euphoria or grandiosity. [Practice more Psychiatry PYQs on OnCourse]

Q: All are stages of grief, except:

Agitation. ***Agitation*** - **Agitation** is not one of the five stages of grief described by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross. Instead, it can be a symptom experienced during many of the stages, but is not a stage itself. - The Kübler-Ross model specifically outlines **Denial**, **Anger**, **Bargaining**, **Depression**, and **Acceptance**. *Bargaining* - **Bargaining** is a recognized stage of grief where individuals try to negotiate or make deals in an attempt to postpone the inevitable or reduce suffering. - This stage often involves thoughts like "If only I had..." or "I promise I'll do X if Y happens." *Anger* - **Anger** is a well-established stage of grief, where the individual may feel rage, resentment, or frustration directed at themselves, others, or higher powers. - This stage reflects the intense emotional response to loss and the perceived unfairness of the situation. *Denial* - **Denial** is the initial stage of grief, characterized by disbelief and a difficulty accepting the reality of the impending death or loss. - This stage serves as a temporary defense mechanism, allowing the individual to cope with overwhelming emotions by refusing to acknowledge the truth. [Practice more Psychiatry PYQs on OnCourse]

Q: Which of the following is not a formal thought disorder?

Delusion. ***Delusion*** - A **delusion** is a **fixed, false belief** that is firmly held despite clear evidence to the contrary and is not consistent with the person's cultural or religious background. It is a **disorder of thought content**, not thought form or process. - While delusions are a hallmark symptom of many psychotic disorders, they represent what a person thinks, rather than how they think. *Neologism* - **Neologism** refers to the **creation of new, nonsensical words or phrases** that are intelligible only to the person coining them. - This is a formal thought disorder because it reflects a break in the conventional structure and coherence of language. *Derailment* - **Derailment**, also known as **loose associations**, is a thought disorder where the person's thoughts shift from one topic to another in a way that is loosely connected or completely unrelated. - This represents a disruption in the logical flow and organization of ideas, making it a formal thought disorder. *Tangentiality* - **Tangentiality** is a thought disorder where the person **strays from the main topic** and never returns to the original point or answers the question asked. - It reflects an inability to maintain focused thought and is a formal thought disorder related to the process of thinking. [Practice more Psychiatry PYQs on OnCourse]

7 Previous Year Questions with Answers & Explanations

Questions

Fear of "places from where escape is difficult" is called ______

Neologism is seen in:

A 24-year-old lady presented with sudden onset chest pain, palpitations lasting for about 20 minutes. She says there were 3 similar episodes in the past. All the investigations were normal. What is the likely diagnosis?

All are stages of grief, except:

Which of the following is not a formal thought disorder?

To diagnose post-traumatic stress disorder, the symptoms should persist for more than ______

A woman has mild depressive symptoms a few days after delivery that disappear within 2 weeks postpartum. The most likely cause is ______

FMGE 2019 - Psychiatry FMGE Practice Questions and MCQs

Question 1: Fear of "places from where escape is difficult" is called ______

A. Claustrophobia
B. Aerophobia
C. Agoraphobia (Correct Answer)
D. Ailurophobia

Explanation: ***Agoraphobia*** - **Agoraphobia** is the intense fear and anxiety of situations or places that might be difficult to escape from or where help might not be available, such as open spaces, crowds, or public transportation. - Individuals with agoraphobia often avoid these situations or endure them with extreme distress, sometimes resulting in being housebound. *Claustrophobia* - **Claustrophobia** is the intense fear of tight, enclosed spaces, such as elevators, small rooms, or MRI machines. - This phobia is distinct from agoraphobia, which centers around difficulty escaping rather than the space itself. *Aerophobia* - **Aerophobia** is the fear of flying, specifically involving airplanes or other forms of air travel. - It is a specific phobia related to a particular situation, not a generalized fear of inescapable places. *Ailurophobia* - **Ailurophobia** is the irrational fear of cats. - This is a specific animal phobia and has no relation to the fear of open spaces or situations from which escape might be difficult.

Question 2: Neologism is seen in:

A. Mania
B. Schizophrenia (Correct Answer)
C. Depression
D. Dysphasia

Explanation: ***Schizophrenia*** - **Neologisms** are newly coined words that have meaning only to the person who invents them, and they are a characteristic **thought disorder** symptom often observed in schizophrenia. - This symptom reflects the **disorganized thinking** and **impaired communication** typical of the disorder. *Mania* - While individuals in a manic episode may exhibit **rapid speech**, **flight of ideas**, and **pressured speech**, they typically do not create entirely new words (neologisms). - Their speech is usually characterized by **excessive quantity** and quick topic changes, rather than word invention. *Depression* - Depression is associated with **poverty of speech**, **slowed thought processes**, and a focus on negative themes. - **Neologisms** are not a feature of depressive episodes. *Dysphasia* - **Dysphasia** (or aphasia) refers to an impairment in the production or comprehension of language due to brain injury, such as stroke. - While speech may be **disrupted** or **grammatically incorrect**, it primarily involves difficulty using existing words correctly rather than producing entirely new ones.

Question 3: A 24-year-old lady presented with sudden onset chest pain, palpitations lasting for about 20 minutes. She says there were 3 similar episodes in the past. All the investigations were normal. What is the likely diagnosis?

A. Post-traumatic stress disorder
B. Acute psychosis
C. Panic attack (Correct Answer)
D. Mania

Explanation: ***Panic attack*** - The sudden onset of **chest pain** and **palpitations** in a young woman, lasting for a brief period (20 minutes), and occurring in recurrent episodes with all investigations being normal, are classic signs of a **panic attack**. - Panic attacks frequently mimic cardiac events, but the absence of organic findings despite recurrent episodes points towards a psychological origin. *Post-traumatic stress disorder* - While PTSD can involve symptoms of anxiety and panic, it is specifically triggered by a **traumatic event** and typically includes re-experiencing the trauma, avoidance, and hyperarousal, none of which are described here. - The patient's presentation primarily focuses on sudden physical symptoms rather than a direct link to past trauma or pervasive fear. *Acute psychosis* - Acute psychosis involves a severe break from reality, characterized by **hallucinations**, **delusions**, or disorganized thought and behavior, which are not present in this scenario. - The symptoms described are more consistent with an anxiety disorder rather than a thought disorder. *Mania* - Mania is a state of elevated mood, increased energy, and often includes symptoms like **reduced need for sleep**, **racing thoughts**, and **impulsive behavior**, which are not described in this patient's presentation. - The core symptoms are acute physical sensations of fear and discomfort, not sustained euphoria or grandiosity.

Question 4: All are stages of grief, except:

A. Agitation (Correct Answer)
B. Bargaining
C. Anger
D. Denial

Explanation: ***Agitation*** - **Agitation** is not one of the five stages of grief described by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross. Instead, it can be a symptom experienced during many of the stages, but is not a stage itself. - The Kübler-Ross model specifically outlines **Denial**, **Anger**, **Bargaining**, **Depression**, and **Acceptance**. *Bargaining* - **Bargaining** is a recognized stage of grief where individuals try to negotiate or make deals in an attempt to postpone the inevitable or reduce suffering. - This stage often involves thoughts like "If only I had..." or "I promise I'll do X if Y happens." *Anger* - **Anger** is a well-established stage of grief, where the individual may feel rage, resentment, or frustration directed at themselves, others, or higher powers. - This stage reflects the intense emotional response to loss and the perceived unfairness of the situation. *Denial* - **Denial** is the initial stage of grief, characterized by disbelief and a difficulty accepting the reality of the impending death or loss. - This stage serves as a temporary defense mechanism, allowing the individual to cope with overwhelming emotions by refusing to acknowledge the truth.

Question 5: Which of the following is not a formal thought disorder?

A. Neologism
B. Derailment
C. Tangentiality
D. Delusion (Correct Answer)

Explanation: ***Delusion*** - A **delusion** is a **fixed, false belief** that is firmly held despite clear evidence to the contrary and is not consistent with the person's cultural or religious background. It is a **disorder of thought content**, not thought form or process. - While delusions are a hallmark symptom of many psychotic disorders, they represent what a person thinks, rather than how they think. *Neologism* - **Neologism** refers to the **creation of new, nonsensical words or phrases** that are intelligible only to the person coining them. - This is a formal thought disorder because it reflects a break in the conventional structure and coherence of language. *Derailment* - **Derailment**, also known as **loose associations**, is a thought disorder where the person's thoughts shift from one topic to another in a way that is loosely connected or completely unrelated. - This represents a disruption in the logical flow and organization of ideas, making it a formal thought disorder. *Tangentiality* - **Tangentiality** is a thought disorder where the person **strays from the main topic** and never returns to the original point or answers the question asked. - It reflects an inability to maintain focused thought and is a formal thought disorder related to the process of thinking.

Question 6: To diagnose post-traumatic stress disorder, the symptoms should persist for more than ______

A. 1 month (Correct Answer)
B. 2 days
C. 3 months
D. 6 months

Explanation: ***1 month*** - According to the **DSM-5 criteria**, for a diagnosis of **Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)**, the symptoms must persist for **more than one month**. - If symptoms last for less than one month, but meet other criteria, the diagnosis is typically **Acute Stress Disorder**. *2 days* - Symptoms lasting only **2 days** following a traumatic event are too short for a diagnosis of PTSD. - Such a brief duration may align with an **acute stress reaction**, which is a normal response to trauma and usually resolves quickly. *3 months* - While symptoms lasting **3 months** would certainly qualify for PTSD in terms of duration, this is not the minimum duration required. - The **minimum duration** for PTSD diagnosis is specifically defined as more than one month. *6 months* - Symptoms persisting for **6 months** or longer clearly meet the duration criteria for PTSD, but this is not the minimal period. - Setting the minimum at 6 months would lead to **underdiagnosis** of PTSD in individuals whose symptoms are significant and disabling after one month but before six months.

Question 7: A woman has mild depressive symptoms a few days after delivery that disappear within 2 weeks postpartum. The most likely cause is ______

A. Major depression
B. Mania
C. Postpartum psychosis
D. Postpartum blues (Correct Answer)

Explanation: ***Postpartum blues*** - **Mild depressive symptoms** that onset a few days after delivery and resolve within **two weeks postpartum** are characteristic of postpartum blues. - This condition is very common, affecting 50-80% of new mothers, and is thought to be due to **hormonal shifts** and **sleep deprivation**. *Major depression* - **Major depression** involves more severe and persistent symptoms that last for **at least two weeks** and significantly impair functioning, often requiring intervention. - While it can occur postpartum (postpartum depression), the **mild nature** and rapid resolution of symptoms in this case make it less likely. *Mania* - **Mania** is characterized by elevated mood, increased energy, racing thoughts, and decreased need for sleep, which are not described here. - This condition is typically associated with **bipolar disorder** and represents a distinct mood disturbance from the mild depressive symptoms described. *Postpartum psychosis* - **Postpartum psychosis** is a severe and rare psychiatric emergency characterized by **hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized behavior**. - Its rapid onset, severe symptoms, and high risk of harm to mother and baby are distinct from the mild, self-resolving symptoms presented.