Geriatric Psychiatry — MCQs

A 78-year-old woman presents with a progressive decline in daily activity. She gives a history of convulsions and visual hallucinations. She does not talk to anyone and keeps looking at the sky. Pathological examination shows the presence of Lewy bodies within the neurons. What is the most probable diagnosis?

Q58

Which of the following is not typically associated with dementia?

Q59

Which of the following is a key distinguishing feature of delirium compared to dementia?

Q60

Which of the following statements about Alzheimer's disease is false?

Geriatric Psychiatry Indian Medical PG Practice Questions and MCQs

Question 51: In the context of geriatric psychiatry, which disorder is most commonly associated with severe cognitive impairment?

A. Bipolar Disorder
B. Major Depressive Disorder
C. Delirium
D. Alzheimer’s Disease (Correct Answer)

Explanation: ***Alzheimer's Disease*** - **Alzheimer's Disease** is the **most common cause of dementia** in the elderly, accounting for **60-80% of all dementia cases**. - It is characterized by **progressive and severe cognitive impairment** affecting memory, language, executive functions, and activities of daily living. - Distinct neuropathological features include **amyloid plaques** and **neurofibrillary tangles**, leading to neuronal loss and progressive brain atrophy. - The cognitive decline in Alzheimer's is **insidious in onset, gradual, and irreversible**, distinguishing it from other cognitive disorders. *Bipolar Disorder* - While bipolar disorder may cause cognitive deficits during acute manic or depressive episodes, it **does not typically lead to severe, progressive dementia**. - The primary clinical features are **mood disturbances** (alternating manic and depressive episodes), not progressive cognitive decline. - Cognitive symptoms in bipolar disorder are usually **episodic and related to mood state**, not degenerative. *Major Depressive Disorder* - Depression in the elderly can present with cognitive symptoms termed **"pseudodementia"** or **"depression-related cognitive dysfunction"**. - These cognitive symptoms primarily affect **attention, concentration, processing speed, and executive function** rather than progressive memory loss. - Crucially, cognitive impairment in depression is **potentially reversible** with effective antidepressant treatment, unlike Alzheimer's disease. *Delirium* - **Delirium** causes acute, severe cognitive impairment but has key distinguishing features: **acute onset** (hours to days), **fluctuating course**, and **altered level of consciousness**. - It is usually precipitated by medical illness, medications, intoxication, or metabolic disturbances. - Unlike Alzheimer's, delirium is **potentially reversible** when the underlying cause is identified and treated. - While severe, delirium is an **acute condition**, not the chronic progressive cognitive impairment asked about in the question.

Question 52: In the context of advanced Alzheimer's disease, which aspect of care is most critical for ensuring the well-being of both the patient and the caregiver?

A. Managing medications
B. Preventing wandering
C. Providing nutritional support
D. Ensuring caregiver support (Correct Answer)

Explanation: ***Ensuring caregiver support*** - **Caregiver burden** in advanced Alzheimer's is extremely high, leading to significant stress, depression, and physical health issues if not adequately addressed. - Providing support mechanisms like **respite care**, educational resources, and emotional counseling directly impacts the caregiver's capacity to continue providing quality care. - **Comprehensive caregiver support** is the foundation upon which all other aspects of care depend—without a supported caregiver, medication management, safety monitoring, and nutritional care cannot be sustained effectively. - This holistic approach ensures the well-being of **both patient and caregiver**, as emphasized in the question. *Managing medications* - While important, medication management primarily addresses symptoms and secondary conditions, but does not resolve the overarching issues of **caregiver burnout** and complex daily care needs. - Optimal medication adherence relies heavily on a supported and educated caregiver. *Preventing wandering* - **Safety** is a critical concern in Alzheimer's, but preventing wandering is one specific aspect of patient safety. - Focusing solely on wandering prevention neglects other vital aspects like daily care, emotional support, and the caregiver's own needs, which are equally important for overall well-being. *Providing nutritional support* - **Nutritional needs** become complex in advanced Alzheimer's due to dysphagia, decreased appetite, and cognitive challenges. - While essential for patient's physical health, it represents only one component of comprehensive care and largely depends on the caregiver's ability to facilitate adequate intake and address feeding difficulties.

Question 53: A 65-year-old man with severe Alzheimer's disease is experiencing agitation and aggression. What is the most appropriate management for this condition?

A. Increase the dose of donepezil
B. Add a benzodiazepine for agitation
C. Initiate treatment with an antipsychotic medication
D. Implement non-pharmacological behavioral interventions (Correct Answer)

Explanation: ***Implement non-pharmacological behavioral interventions*** - Non-pharmacological approaches are the **first-line treatment** for agitation and aggression in Alzheimer's disease due to fewer side effects and potential effectiveness. - These interventions include identifying and addressing triggers, providing a **calm environment**, routine activities, and redirection. *Increase the dose of donepezil* - Donepezil is a **cholinesterase inhibitor** used to improve cognitive symptoms in Alzheimer's disease, but it does not directly treat agitation or aggression. - Increasing its dose is unlikely to resolve behavioral disturbances and might exacerbate issues like **gastrointestinal side effects**. *Add a benzodiazepine for agitation* - Benzodiazepines are generally avoided in older adults, especially those with dementia, due to risks of **sedation**, cognitive impairment, falls, and paradoxical agitation. - They offer short-term relief but can worsen long-term behavioral and cognitive outcomes. *Initiate treatment with an antipsychotic medication* - While antipsychotics can be effective for severe agitation and aggression, they carry significant risks in elderly dementia patients, including increased **mortality**, cardiovascular events, and cerebrovascular adverse events. - They should be reserved for cases where non-pharmacological interventions have failed and the patient poses a significant risk to themselves or others.

Question 54: A 72-year-old woman with a history of depression presents with recent onset of forgetfulness, word-finding difficulties, and apathy. Her symptoms have gradually progressed over the past year. What is the most likely diagnosis?

A. Alzheimer's disease (Correct Answer)
B. Vascular dementia
C. Lewy body dementia
D. Frontotemporal dementia

Explanation: ***Alzheimer's disease*** - The **gradual onset and progressive worsening** over one year of **forgetfulness** (episodic memory impairment), **word-finding difficulties** (anomic aphasia), and **apathy** are characteristic features of **Alzheimer's disease**. - While the patient has a **history of depression**, the **progressive nature of cognitive decline** with multiple domains affected (memory, language, behavior) over a year suggests a neurodegenerative process rather than depression-related cognitive impairment (pseudodementia). - In pseudodementia, patients typically have **acute/subacute onset**, prominent **subjective complaints**, inconsistent cognitive performance, and **improvement with antidepressant treatment** - features not described here. *Vascular dementia* - Typically presents with **abrupt onset** or **stepwise decline** in cognitive function following cerebrovascular events. - Often associated with focal neurological signs, history of stroke/TIA, or vascular risk factors. - The **gradual, insidious progression** described makes this less likely. *Lewy body dementia* - Core features include **fluctuating cognition**, recurrent **visual hallucinations**, and **spontaneous parkinsonism**. - While apathy and memory issues can occur, the absence of these characteristic features makes this diagnosis less probable. *Frontotemporal dementia* - Primarily affects **personality and behavior** (behavioral variant) or **language** (primary progressive aphasia) with **relative preservation of episodic memory** in early stages. - The prominent **early forgetfulness** (memory impairment) makes Alzheimer's disease more likely than FTD.

Question 55: A 65-year-old woman presents with memory loss, difficulty performing familiar tasks, and changes in mood. Which finding would most likely support the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease based on current diagnostic criteria?

A. Presence of neurofibrillary tangles
B. Presence of amyloid plaques
C. Gradual cognitive decline with preserved insight
D. Presence of significant memory impairment (Correct Answer)

Explanation: **Presence of significant memory impairment** - **Significant memory impairment**, particularly in acquiring and recalling new information, is often the **earliest and most prominent symptom** in typical Alzheimer's disease. - While other cognitive domains are affected, memory loss is central to the diagnostic criteria, especially as presented in the initial stages. *Presence of neurofibrillary tangles* - **Neurofibrillary tangles** (composed of hyperphosphorylated tau protein) are a **pathological hallmark** of Alzheimer's disease found on post-mortem examination. - However, they are not typically detected directly during *in vivo* diagnostic workups, and their presence alone doesn't rule out other tauopathies. *Presence of amyloid plaques* - **Amyloid plaques** (extracellular deposits of amyloid-beta protein) are another **pathological hallmark** of Alzheimer's disease, identifiable post-mortem or through specialized imaging like **amyloid PET scans**. - While essential for definitive *pathological* diagnosis, their *in vivo* presence alone isn't sufficient for a clinical diagnosis, as amyloid plaques can be found in cognitively normal elderly individuals. *Gradual cognitive decline with preserved insight* - **Gradual cognitive decline** is characteristic of Alzheimer's, but **preserved insight** is generally *not* typical for later stages of the disease. - As cognitive deficits progress, insight often diminishes, and patients may become unaware of their impairments.

Question 56: Which of the following statements about Alzheimer's disease is true?

A. It is the most common cause of dementia. (Correct Answer)
B. The disease primarily affects people under 50 years of age
C. One in 2 people age 65 and older has Alzheimer's disease
D. Alzheimer's disease can be completely cured with current medications

Explanation: ***It is the most common cause of dementia.*** - **Alzheimer's disease** accounts for **60-80% of dementia cases**, making it the leading cause of cognitive decline in older adults. - Its prevalence increases significantly with age, affecting millions worldwide. *The disease primarily affects people under 50 years of age* - This is incorrect; Alzheimer's disease is **predominantly a disease of older adults**. - While early-onset Alzheimer's (before age 65) exists, it accounts for less than 10% of cases. - The vast majority of cases occur in people **aged 65 and older**, with risk increasing dramatically with advancing age. *One in 2 people age 65 and older has Alzheimer's disease* - This figure is a significant overestimation; while prevalence increases with age, approximately **1 in 9 (11.3%) Americans aged 65 and older** have Alzheimer's, not 1 in 2. - The risk doubles every five years after age 65. *Alzheimer's disease can be completely cured with current medications* - Currently, there is **no cure for Alzheimer's disease**. - Available medications can help manage symptoms and slow cognitive decline but do not stop the underlying neurodegenerative process.

Question 57: A 78-year-old woman presents with a progressive decline in daily activity. She gives a history of convulsions and visual hallucinations. She does not talk to anyone and keeps looking at the sky. Pathological examination shows the presence of Lewy bodies within the neurons. What is the most probable diagnosis?

A. Prion disease
B. Huntington's disease
C. Lewy body dementia (Correct Answer)
D. Alzheimer's disease

Explanation: ***Lewy body dementia*** - The presence of **progressive cognitive decline**, **visual hallucinations**, and **convulsions** in an elderly patient is highly indicative of Lewy body dementia. - The definitive pathological finding of **Lewy bodies** within neurons confirms the diagnosis. *Prion disease* - Characterized by rapidly progressive dementia, **myoclonus**, and cerebellar ataxia, without typical visual hallucinations or convulsions. - Pathological examination typically shows **spongiform changes** and accumulation of abnormal prion protein, not Lewy bodies. *Huntington's disease* - Presents with a classic triad of **motor dysfunction** (chorea), psychiatric symptoms, and cognitive decline, typically with an earlier onset (30-50 years). - It is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder, and its pathology involves neuronal loss in the striatum, without Lewy bodies. *Alzheimer's disease* - The most common cause of dementia, characterized by **memory impairment** as an early and prominent feature. - Pathological findings include **amyloid plaques** and **neurofibrillary tangles**, not Lewy bodies, and visual hallucinations are less common or occur later in the disease.

Question 58: Which of the following is not typically associated with dementia?

A. Reduced personal care
B. Loss of neurons in brain
C. Alteration of consciousness (Correct Answer)
D. Forgetfulness

Explanation: ***Alteration of consciousness*** - An **alteration of consciousness** is a hallmark feature of **delirium**, which is an acute confusional state, usually fluctuating. - **Dementia** is primarily characterized by a chronic, progressive decline in cognitive function with **clear consciousness**. *Forgetfulness* - **Forgetfulness**, particularly memory loss impacting daily life, is one of the **earliest and most common symptoms** of dementia. - This symptom progressively worsens, affecting short-term and eventually long-term memory. *Reduced personal care* - As dementia progresses, individuals often experience a decline in their ability to perform **activities of daily living (ADLs)**, including personal care. - This can manifest as forgetting to bathe, difficulty dressing, or neglecting personal hygiene due to cognitive impairment. *Loss of neurons in brain* - **Neurodegeneration**, characterized by the **loss of neurons** and synapses in the brain, is the underlying pathological basis of most types of dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease. - This neuronal loss leads to brain atrophy and the cognitive deficits seen in dementia.

Question 59: Which of the following is a key distinguishing feature of delirium compared to dementia?

A. Visual hallucinations
B. Gradual memory loss
C. Acute onset of confusion and disorientation (Correct Answer)
D. Difficulty in recognizing familiar people

Explanation: ***Acute onset of confusion and disorientation*** - Delirium is characterized by a **sudden (acute) onset** of mental status changes, including fluctuations in attention, awareness, and cognition, often presenting as **confusion and disorientation**. - Its symptoms typically develop over hours to days, contrasting sharply with the more chronic and insidious progression of dementia. *Gradual memory loss* - **Gradual memory loss** is a hallmark symptom of **dementia**, a neurocognitive disorder characterized by a progressive decline in cognitive function over months to years. - While memory impairment can occur in delirium, its onset is rapid and associated with a fluctuating course, not a steady decline. *Visual hallucinations* - While visual hallucinations can occur in **delirium**, they are not its most unique distinguishing feature from **dementia**, as they can also be prominent in certain types of dementia, such as **Lewy body dementia**. - The acute, fluctuating nature of **cognitive impairment** is a more defining characteristic of delirium. *Difficulty in recognizing familiar people* - **Prosopagnosia** or the inability to recognize familiar faces, is a symptom that can manifest in advanced stages of **dementia** due to widespread brain atrophy. - While patients with delirium might appear confused or disoriented to the point of not recognizing familiar individuals, this is usually part of a global, acute cognitive impairment and not a primary, isolated deficit.

Question 60: Which of the following statements about Alzheimer's disease is false?

A. Alzheimer's disease is curable. (Correct Answer)
B. Alzheimer’s disease causes dementia.
C. Alzheimer’s disease is a leading cause of cognitive decline.
D. One in 10 people age 65 and older has Alzheimer’s disease

Explanation: ***Alzheimer’s disease is curable*** - Alzheimer's disease is currently **incurable**, and treatments primarily focus on managing symptoms and slowing disease progression. - Research is ongoing to find more effective treatments, but there is no known cure yet. *Alzheimer’s disease is a leading cause of cognitive decline.* - Alzheimer's disease is the **most common cause of dementia**, accounting for 60-80% of cases, making it a primary driver of cognitive decline in older adults. - The disease progressively damages brain cells, leading to a decline in memory, thinking, and reasoning abilities. *Alzheimer’s disease causes dementia.* - **Dementia** is the clinical syndrome characterized by significant cognitive decline, and Alzheimer's disease is the most common underlying cause. - The characteristic pathological changes in Alzheimer's (amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles) lead to neuronal damage and the resulting dementia symptoms. *One in 10 people age 65 and older has Alzheimer’s disease* - This statement accurately reflects the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease, as approximately 11.3% of people aged 65 and older in the United States have Alzheimer's dementia. - The risk of developing Alzheimer's disease **increases with age**, making it more common in the older population.

Practice by Chapter

Normal Aging Process

Practice Questions

Dementia: Alzheimer's Type

Practice Questions

Other Neurocognitive Disorders

Practice Questions

Delirium in the Elderly

Practice Questions

Late-Life Depression

Practice Questions

Anxiety Disorders in the Elderly

Practice Questions

Psychosis in the Elderly

Practice Questions

Sleep Disorders in the Elderly

Practice Questions

Pharmacotherapy Considerations in the Elderly

Practice Questions

Elder Abuse and Neglect

Practice Questions

End-of-Life Issues

Practice Questions

Long-term Care Issues

Practice Questions

Want unlimited practice?

Get full access to all questions, explanations, and performance tracking.

Start For Free