Delusional disorder in special populations — MCQs

A 26-year-old man is brought to the emergency department by his wife because of bizarre and agitated behavior for the last 6 weeks. He thinks that the NSA is spying on him and controlling his mind. His wife reports that the patient has become withdrawn and at times depressed for the past 3 months. He lost his job because he stopped going to work 4 weeks ago. Since then, he has been working on an invention that will block people from being able to control his mind. Physical and neurologic examinations show no abnormalities. On mental status examination, he is confused and suspicious with marked psychomotor agitation. His speech is disorganized and his affect is labile. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

A 26-year-old woman is brought to the emergency department by her husband due to her disturbing behavior over the past 24 hours. Her husband says that he has noticed his wife talking to herself and staying in a corner of a room throughout the day without eating or drinking anything. She gave birth to their son 2 weeks ago but has not seen or even acknowledged her baby’s presence ever since he was born. He says that he didn’t think much of it because she seemed overwhelmed during her pregnancy and he considered that she was probably unable to cope with being a new mother; however, last night, he says, his wife told him that their child was the son of the devil and they ought to get rid of him as soon as possible. Which of the following describes this patient’s abnormal reaction to her child?

Two dizygotic twins present to the university clinic because they believe they are being poisoned through the school's cafeteria food. They have brought these concerns up in the past, but no other students or cafeteria staff support this belief. Both of them are average students with strong and weak subject areas as demonstrated by their course grade-books. They have no known medical conditions and are not known to abuse illicit substances. Which statement best describes the condition these patients have?

A 22-year-old man is brought to the emergency department by his father because he is having bizarre thoughts. The patient says that he is being haunted by aliens from outer space. The father is worried as his son has had these symptoms for the past 7 months and lately, it seems to be getting worse. He has become more self-obsessed and does not seem to have any interest in his favorite activities. He has no plans to harm himself or others but spends a lot of time and energy building ‘defenses’ in and around his room as he is absolutely sure that aliens will come to get him soon. His blood pressure is 121/79 mm Hg, pulse 86/min, respiratory rate 15/min, temperature 36.8°C (98.2°F). Which of the following is correct regarding the patient’s symptoms?

A 24-year-old woman with no past medical history is post operative day 2 from a cesarean section that resulted in the birth of her first child. She begins to cry when she's told that today's lunch will be gluten-free. Although the patient feels "exhausted" and has had trouble sleeping, she deeply desires to return home and take care of her newborn. The patient denies any changes in concentration or suicidal thoughts now or during the pregnancy. What is the diagnosis and likely outcome?

A 24-year-old man is brought to the doctor's office by his mother because the patient believes aliens have begun to read his mind and will soon have him performing missions for them. The patient's mother says that the delusions have been intermittently present for periods of at least 1-month over the past year. When he is not having delusions, she says he still lacks expression and has no interest in socializing with his friends or going out. He has no past medical history and takes no prescription medications. The patient has smoked 1 pack of cigarettes daily for the past 10 years. Since the disturbance, he has not been able to maintain employment and lives at home with his mother. His vitals include: blood pressure 124/82 mm Hg, pulse 68/min, respiratory rate 14/min, temperature 37.3°C (99.1°F). On physical examination, the patient exhibits poor eye contact with a flat affect. His speech is circumferential, and he is currently experiencing bizarre delusions. The results from a urine drug screen are shown below: Amphetamine negative Benzodiazepine negative Cocaine negative GHB negative Ketamine negative LSD negative Marijuana negative Opioids negative PCP negative Which of the following is the correct diagnosis?

A 31-year-old woman comes to the physician because she thinks that her “right wrist is broken.” She says that she has severe pain and that “the bone is sticking out.” She has not had any trauma to the wrist. Her medical records indicate that she was diagnosed with schizophrenia 2 years ago and treated with olanzapine; she has not filled any prescriptions over the past 4 months. Three weeks ago, she stopped going to work because she “did not feel like getting up” in the morning. Vital signs are within normal limits. Physical examination of the right wrist shows no visible injury; there is no warmth, swelling, or erythema. Range of motion is limited by pain. On mental status examination, she has a flat affect. Her speech is pressured and she frequently changes the topic. She has short- and long-term memory deficits. Attention and concentration are poor. There is no evidence of suicidal ideation. Urine toxicology screening is negative. An x-ray of the wrist shows no abnormalities. Which of the following is the most appropriate response to this patient's concerns?

Ten days after the vaginal delivery of a healthy infant girl, a 27-year-old woman is brought to the physician by her husband because of frequent mood changes. She has been tearful and anxious since she went home from the hospital 2 days after delivery. She says that she feels overwhelmed with her new responsibilities and has difficulties taking care of her newborn because she feels constantly tired. She only sleeps for 2 to 3 hours nightly because the baby “is keeping her awake.” Sometimes, the patient checks on her daughter because she thinks she heard her cry but finds her sleeping quietly. Her husband says that she is afraid that something could happen to the baby. She often gets angry at him and has yelled at him when he picks up the baby without using a hand sanitizer beforehand. She breastfeeds the baby without any problems. The patient's mother has bipolar disorder with psychotic features. The patient's vital signs are within normal limits. Physical examination shows an involuting uterus consistent in size with her postpartum date. Mental status examination shows a labile affect with no evidence of homicidal or suicidal ideation. Laboratory studies show a hemoglobin concentration of 13 g/dL and a thyroid-stimulating hormone level of 3.1 μU/mL. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in management?

A 29-year-old woman presents with convulsions. The patient’s brother says that he found her like that an hour ago and immediately called an ambulance. He also says that she has been extremely distraught and receiving supportive care from a social worker following a sexual assault by a coworker a few days ago. He says that the patient has no history of seizures. She has no significant past medical history and takes no medications. The patient’s vital signs include: temperature 37.0°C (98.6°F), pulse 101/min, blood pressure 135/99 mm Hg, and respiratory rate 25/min. On physical examination, the patient is rolling from side to side, arrhythmically thrashing around, and muttering strangely. Her eyes are closed, and there is resistance to opening them. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis in this patient?

A 28-year-old woman is brought into the clinic by her husband with concerns that she might be depressed. She delivered a healthy newborn a week and a half ago without any complications. Since then, she has been having trouble sleeping, eating poorly, and has stopped playing with the baby. The patient says she feels like she is drained all the time and feels guilty for not doing more for the baby. Which of the following is the best course of treatment for this patient?