Mood Disorders — MCQs

A 53-year-old man is brought to the physician by his wife because of strange behavior and emotional outbursts for the past 6 months. He was previously healthy and physically active, but he recently started binge-eating candy and stopped exercising. He was fired from his job for inappropriate behavior after he undressed in the office and made lewd remarks to several female coworkers. He claims there is nothing wrong with his behavior. On mental status examination, he is alert and irritable but cooperative. Short-term recall is normal but he has some word-finding difficulties. Babinski reflex is positive bilaterally. This patient's symptoms are most likely due to a degenerative process in which of the following regions of the brain?

A parent-teacher conference is called to discuss the behavior of a 9 year-old boy. According to the boy's teacher, he has become progressively more disruptive during class. When asked to help clean up or read out-loud, he replies with "You're not the boss of me." or "You can't make me." He refuses to participate in gym class, but will play the same games during recess. He gets along with and is well-liked by his peers. His mother reports that her son can "sometimes be difficult," but he is helpful around the house and is very good playing with his 7-year-old sister. What is the most likely diagnosis?

A 25-year-old man presents to his primary care physician for trouble with focus and concentration. The patient states that he has lived at home with his parents his entire life but recently was able to get a job at a local factory. Ever since the patient has started working, he has had trouble focusing at his job. He is unable to stay focused on any task. His boss often observes him "daydreaming" with a blank stare off into space. His boss will have to yell at him to startle him back to work. The patient states that he feels fatigued all the time and sometimes will suddenly fall asleep while operating equipment. He has tried going to bed early for the past month but is unable to fall asleep until two hours prior to his alarm. The patient fears that if this continues he will lose his job. Which of the following is the best initial step in management?

A 9-year-old boy is brought to a psychologist by his mother because his teachers frequently complain about his behavioral problems at school. The patient’s mother reports that his concerning behavior started at a young age. She says he is disrespectful to family members and to his teachers at school. He also talks back to everyone. Grounding him and limiting his freedom has not improved his behavior. His grades have never been very good, and he is quite isolated at school. After a further review of the patient’s medical history and a thorough physical exam, the physician confirms the diagnosis of oppositional defiant disorder. Which of the following additional symptoms would most likely present in this patient?

A 13-year-old teenage girl was brought to the emergency department by her mom after she collapsed. Her mom reports that she was at a birthday party when all of a sudden she fell. She reported left foot weakness and has been limping ever since. The patient has been healthy and had an uncomplicated birth history, though her mom reports that she just recovered from a cold. She currently lives with her younger sister and mother as her parents recently divorced. She does well in school and has a handful of good friends. Her physical exam demonstrated normal bulk and tone, 5/5 strength in all motions, 2+ and symmetric reflexes at biceps, triceps and knees. She had 1+ ankle reflex on left. What is the most likely explanation for her symptoms?

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?

A 23-year-old woman is seen by her primary care physician. The patient has a several year history of excessive daytime sleepiness. She also reports episodes where she suddenly falls to the floor after her knees become weak, often during a laughing spell. She has no other significant past medical history. Her primary care physician refers her for a sleep study, which confirms the suspected diagnosis. Which of the following laboratory findings would also be expected in this patient?

A 12-year-old boy is brought in by his parents as they are concerned about his behavior. He is constantly arguing with his parents and blatantly defying their every request. In school, he is known for being intentionally tardy and for defying his teachers. Upon further questioning of the patient you learn about some of his recent behaviors such as beginning smoking to bother his parents. You also notice that he is disrespectful towards you. You then learn that he has also gotten into weekly fights with his peers at school with no apparent cause. In addition, last week he was seen hitting one of the local neighborhood cats with a baseball bat trying to kill it. The patient lives at home with his two parents in a pre-World War II house that was recently renovated. Physical exam is unremarkable. Laboratory values are as follows: Na: 140 mmol/L K: 4.5 mmol/L Cl: 100 mmol/L Glucose: 80 mg/dL Ca: 10 mmol/L Mg: 3 mEq/L Cr: 0.8 mg/dL BUN: 10 mg/dL Serum lead: < .01 µg/dL Hb: 15 g/dL Hct: 45% MCV: 95 Urine toxicology: negative As the patient leaves the office you notice him stealing all of the candy from the office candy bowl. The patient seems unconcerned about his behavior overall. Which of the following statements is most likely to be true in this patient?

A 37-year-old patient is being evaluated for involuntary movements, difficulty swallowing food, and personality change. He has entered a clinical trial that is studying the interaction of certain neuromediators in patients with similar (CAG) n trinucleotide repeat disorders. The laboratory results of 1 of the candidates for the clinical trial are presented below: Acetylcholine ↓ Dopamine ↑ Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) ↓ Norepinephrine unchanged Serotonin unchanged Which trinucleotide disorder most likely represents the diagnosis of this patient?