Anxiety Disorders Practice Questions

Q: Fear of heights is termed as?

Acrophobia. **Explanation:** **Acrophobia** is the correct answer. It is a specific phobia characterized by an intense, irrational fear of heights. The term is derived from the Greek word *'akron'*, meaning peak or summit. In psychiatry, specific phobias are defined by significant anxiety or panic attacks triggered by exposure to the specific stimulus, leading to avoidance behavior that interferes with daily functioning. **Analysis of Incorrect Options:** * **Agoraphobia:** This is the fear of being in situations or places where escape might be difficult or help might not be available in the event of a panic attack. It often involves open spaces, public transport, or being in a crowd. * **Claustrophobia:** This is the fear of enclosed or confined spaces, such as elevators, small rooms, or tunnels. * **Haphephobia:** This is a rare specific phobia involving the fear of being touched or touching others. **Clinical Pearls for NEET-PG:** * **Treatment of Choice:** For specific phobias like acrophobia, the most effective treatment is **Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)** with **Systemic Desensitization** or **Exposure Therapy** (specifically *in-vivo* exposure). * **Pharmacotherapy:** Benzodiazepines or Beta-blockers (like Propranolol) may be used for short-term symptomatic relief of performance-related anxiety, but they are not the primary treatment for phobias. * **Diagnosis:** According to DSM-5, the fear must be persistent (typically lasting **6 months or more**) and out of proportion to the actual danger posed.

Q: What is ailurophobia?

Fear of cats. **Explanation:** **Ailurophobia** is the persistent, irrational fear of **cats**. In psychiatry, this is classified as a **Specific Phobia** (DSM-5), characterized by significant distress or avoidance behavior when exposed to the feline stimulus. The term is derived from the Greek words *ailouros* (cat) and *phobos* (fear). **Analysis of Options:** * **Option A (Fear of heights):** This is known as **Acrophobia**. It is one of the most common specific phobias and can lead to vertigo-like symptoms. * **Option B (Fear of water):** This is known as **Hydrophobia**. Clinically, it is a hallmark sign of **Rabies** infection due to painful spasms when swallowing liquids. * **Option D (Fear of strangers):** This is known as **Xenophobia**. In a developmental context, "Stranger Anxiety" is a normal milestone in infants (typically appearing around 8–9 months). **Clinical Pearls for NEET-PG:** 1. **Treatment of Choice:** For specific phobias, the most effective treatment is **Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with Exposure Therapy** (specifically Systematic Desensitization or Flooding). 2. **Pharmacotherapy:** Generally not the first line, but **Benzodiazepines** or **Beta-blockers** (e.g., Propranolol) may be used for short-term relief of acute performance-related anxiety. 3. **Epidemiology:** Specific phobias are more common in females and often have an onset in childhood or early adolescence. 4. **Other High-Yield Phobias:** * *Cynophobia:* Fear of dogs. * *Entomophobia:* Fear of insects. * *Ophidiophobia:* Fear of snakes.

Q: Which drug is used for narcoanalysis?

Scopolamine. **Explanation:** **Narcoanalysis** (also known as "truth serum" therapy) involves the administration of a drug that induces a state of semi-consciousness or "twilight sleep." In this state, the patient’s inhibitions are lowered, making them more likely to disclose suppressed information or repressed memories. **Why Scopolamine is correct:** **Scopolamine** (Hyoscine) is a belladonna alkaloid with potent central anticholinergic effects. Historically, it was the first drug used for narcoanalysis because it induces sedation and significant **anterograde amnesia**. By depressing the cerebral cortex, it bypasses conscious defenses, making it difficult for a subject to maintain a lie. While barbiturates like Sodium Amobarbital (Amytal) and Sodium Pentothal are more commonly used today, Scopolamine remains a classic pharmacological answer for this procedure. **Why the other options are incorrect:** * **Atropine:** While also an anticholinergic, it has poor CNS penetration compared to scopolamine and is primarily used to treat bradycardia or organophosphate poisoning. * **Propranolol:** A beta-blocker used in psychiatry for **performance anxiety** (stage fright) and akathisia, but it has no sedative or disinhibiting properties. * **Naltrexone:** An opioid antagonist used in the management of alcohol and opioid dependence; it does not induce a semi-conscious state. **High-Yield Clinical Pearls for NEET-PG:** * **Drug of Choice (Modern):** Sodium Amobarbital (Amytal Interview). * **Indication:** Used in dissociative amnesia, fugue states, and sometimes to differentiate between functional (psychogenic) and organic catatonia. * **Scopolamine Side Effects:** Remember the "Hot as a hare, blind as a bat, dry as a bone, red as a beet, mad as a hatter" mnemonic for anticholinergic toxicity.

Q: Which of the following symptoms is NOT typically seen in anxiety?

Decreased sweating. **Explanation:** Anxiety is characterized by the activation of the **Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS)**, often referred to as the "fight or flight" response. This physiological state involves the release of catecholamines (epinephrine and norepinephrine), which lead to multi-systemic autonomic arousal. **1. Why "Decreased Sweating" is the Correct Answer:** In a state of anxiety, sympathetic stimulation increases the activity of eccrine sweat glands. Therefore, **increased sweating (diaphoresis)** is a hallmark symptom. "Decreased sweating" (anhidrosis) is not a feature of anxiety; rather, patients typically present with "clammy" or moist skin. **2. Analysis of Incorrect Options:** * **Hyperventilation:** Anxiety triggers the respiratory center, leading to rapid, shallow breathing. This can result in respiratory alkalosis, causing further symptoms like dizziness and perioral numbness. * **Cold Extremities:** Sympathetic activation causes **peripheral vasoconstriction** to divert blood flow to the vital organs and skeletal muscles. This reduced peripheral perfusion makes the hands and feet feel cold to the touch. * **Palpitations:** Increased heart rate (tachycardia) and increased force of myocardial contraction are classic beta-adrenergic effects seen during anxiety episodes. **Clinical Pearls for NEET-PG:** * **Physical vs. Psychological:** Anxiety presents with both somatic (palpitations, tremors, GI upset) and psychological (apprehension, "free-floating" dread) symptoms. * **Differential Diagnosis:** Always rule out medical mimics of anxiety, such as **Hyperthyroidism, Pheochromocytoma, and Hypoglycemia**, which also present with sympathetic overactivity. * **Panic Disorder:** Characterized by recurrent, unexpected panic attacks reaching a peak within 10 minutes, often accompanied by a "fear of dying" or "going crazy."

Q: All of the following statements regarding blackouts are true EXCEPT?

The person appears confused to onlookers.. **Explanation:** A **blackout** is a specific phenomenon associated with acute alcohol intoxication characterized by a discrete episode of **anterograde amnesia**. Despite the inability to form new memories, the individual remains conscious and can engage in complex tasks. 1. **Why Option A is the Correct Answer (The Exception):** During a blackout, the person typically **does not appear confused** to onlookers. They can carry out conversations, drive, or perform social activities quite normally. The deficit is purely in the consolidation of short-term memory into long-term storage; it is not a state of delirium or clouding of consciousness. Therefore, the lack of outward confusion is a hallmark that distinguishes it from other states like stupor. 2. **Analysis of Other Options:** * **Option B:** Remote memory (memories formed before the intoxication) remains **intact**. The pathology specifically targets the hippocampus's ability to create new memories during the window of high blood alcohol concentration. * **Option C:** It is defined as **anterograde amnesia**, meaning the person cannot recall events that occurred *during* the drinking episode once they sober up. * **Option D:** Blackouts are classically associated with **alcohol intoxication**, particularly when blood alcohol levels rise rapidly (e.g., "binge drinking"). **Clinical Pearls for NEET-PG:** * **Mechanism:** Alcohol-induced blockade of NMDA receptors and enhancement of GABA receptors in the **hippocampus** prevents long-term potentiation (LTP). * **Types:** * *En bloc:* Total permanent amnesia for a period. * *Fragmentary (Brownout):* Partial memory loss where cues may trigger recall. * **Differentiating Factor:** Unlike "passing out" (loss of consciousness), a person in a "blackout" is awake but "the recorder is off."

Question 1

Panic attack is associated with disturbances in all of the following neurotransmitters except:

Accepted Answer

Glutamate

Answer

Serotonin

Answer

GABA

Answer

Dopamine, CCK, pentagastrin

Question 2

Which of the following conditions does NOT typically present with symptoms resembling a panic attack?

Accepted Answer

Generalized tonic-clonic seizure (GTCS)

Answer

Hypoglycemia

Answer

Myocardial infarction

Answer

Temporal lobe epilepsy

Question 3

A 36-year-old female complains of sudden onset of feeling of pounding heart, apprehension, and excessive sweating. She fears that she is about to die. Which of the following is the likely diagnosis?

Accepted Answer

Panic attack

Answer

Conversion Disorder

Answer

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Answer

Specific Phobia

Question 4

A 36-year-old man presents with a long-standing history of fainting and blurred vision, particularly when travelling on public transport. These symptoms are less severe when travelling in his wife's car. He avoids public transportation and has become homebound, with his wife now managing household tasks and shopping. He reports experiencing episodes of racing heart, sweating, and intense fear, which he associates with past negative experiences at work. What is the most likely diagnosis?

Accepted Answer

Agoraphobia

Answer

Social phobia

Answer

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Answer

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Question 5

Fear of heights is termed as?

Accepted Answer

Acrophobia

Answer

Agoraphobia

Answer

Claustrophobia

Answer

Haphephobia

Question 6

What is ailurophobia?

Accepted Answer

Fear of cats

Answer

Fear of heights

Answer

Fear of water

Answer

Fear of strangers

Question 7

Which drug is used for narcoanalysis?

Accepted Answer

Scopolamine

Answer

Atropine

Answer

Propranolol

Answer

Naltrexone

Question 8

Which of the following symptoms is NOT typically seen in anxiety?

Accepted Answer

Decreased sweating

Answer

Hyperventilation

Answer

Cold extremities

Answer

Palpitations

Question 9

What is the most common phobia?

Accepted Answer

Agoraphobia

Answer

Acrophobia

Answer

Thanatophobia

Answer

Photophobia

Question 10

All of the following statements regarding blackouts are true EXCEPT?

Accepted Answer

The person appears confused to onlookers.

Answer

Remote memory is relatively intact during the blackout.

Answer

It is a discrete episode of anterograde amnesia.

Answer

It is associated with alcohol intoxication.

Anxiety Disorders — MCQs

Anxiety Disorders — MCQs

On this page

Practice by Chapter

Want unlimited practice?