Question 1

You are assessing an individual who is on trial for murder. Initial reports indicate that the individual has emotional dysregulation and has demonstrated splitting. What is your likely diagnosis?

Accepted Answer

Borderline personality disorder is characterized by emotional dysregulation and splitting (viewing others as all good or all bad), which aligns with the symptoms described.

Question 2

The drug company you work for is developing a new treatment for a mental disorder. The target neurotransmitter is dopamine and you want to decrease the level. Most likely, you are working on a treatment for

Accepted Answer

Schizophrenia is often associated with an overactivity of dopamine in the brain. Decreasing dopamine levels is a common approach in treating schizophrenia.

Question 3

You are assessing an individual who is on trial for murder. Initial reports indicate dysfunction in the amygdala and prefrontal cortex, along with a deficiency in MAOA. What is your likely diagnosis?

Accepted Answer

The amygdala is involved in emotion regulation and fear response, while the prefrontal cortex is crucial for decision making and impulse control. A deficiency in Monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) has been linked to aggressive behavior. These factors combined suggest a higher likelihood of antisocial personality disorder, which is characterized by a disregard for the rights of others and social norms, often including aggressive or criminal behavior.

Question 4

George cannot see. There is nothing wrong with his visual system, but he does not register any visual experience at all. George is suffering from

Accepted Answer

George's condition is indicative of functional neurological symptom disorder (previously known as conversion disorder), where patients exhibit neurological symptoms, such as blindness, paralysis, or other motor or sensory deficits, without any physical cause. These symptoms are believed to result from psychological stress or conflict, rather than any damage or dysfunction in the nervous system.

Question 5

Judy is concerned with her weight. She tends to eat and then purge by vomiting immediately after a meal. Judy suffers from

Accepted Answer

Judy's behavior of eating and then purging by vomiting immediately after a meal is characteristic of bulimia nervosa, a serious eating disorder marked by binge eating followed by purging to avoid weight gain.

Question 6

A new patient has just shown up at the clinic. Her records indicate the possibility of a deficiency in the fibre bundles from the frontal cortex and inconsistent parenting. You suspect that this patient has

Accepted Answer

ADHD is associated with abnormalities in the brain's frontal cortex and can be influenced by environmental factors such as inconsistent parenting.

Question 7

Joanne has just shown up at the hospital emergency ward. She has a psychological issue. Her previous medical records indicate high activity in the behavioural activation system and she scores high on extroversion. You suspect that Joanne is suffering from

Accepted Answer

High activity in the behavioral activation system and high scores on extroversion are associated with bipolar disorder, as these characteristics can be linked to the manic phases of the condition.

Question 8

Joanne has just shown up at the hospital emergency ward. She has a psychological issue. Her previous medical records indicate high activity in the behavioural inhibition system and low activity in the behavioural activation system. You suspect that Joanne is suffering from

Accepted Answer

Joanne's symptoms suggest unipolar depression, characterized by high activity in the behavioral inhibition system (BIS) and low activity in the behavioral activation system (BAS). The BIS is associated with sensitivity to punishment and avoidance behavior, while the BAS is related to sensitivity to rewards and approach behavior. In depression, the heightened BIS and diminished BAS activity can lead to reduced motivation and pleasure, key features of depression.

Question 9

Joanne has just shown up at the hospital emergency ward. She has a psychological issue. Her previous medical records indicate a strong belief in the negative cognitive triad. You suspect that Joanne is suffering from

Accepted Answer

The negative cognitive triad, a concept introduced by Aaron Beck, is a cognitive-therapeutic view of the three key elements of a person's belief system present in depression. It involves a negative view of oneself, the world, and the future, which is a hallmark of unipolar depression.

Question 10

A new patient has just shown up at the clinic. The diagnosis is autistic spectrum disorder. None of the previous therapists was able to track down the cause of the disorder, but you know that it is definitely NOT due to

Accepted Answer

Autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental condition that involves persistent challenges in social interaction, speech and nonverbal communication, and restricted/repetitive behaviors. The causes of ASD are not fully understood, but it is known to have a strong genetic basis, and factors such as brain structure abnormalities (e.g., an enlarged brain) and differences in brain connectivity (e.g., theory of mind issues, excessive or insufficient pruning of neural connections) have been implicated. However, extensive research has shown that vaccinations do not cause autism. This misconception has been debunked through numerous studies, making vaccinations an incorrect answer when identifying causes of ASD.

Question 11

Obsessions are to compulsions as

Accepted Answer

Obsessions are intrusive, unwanted thoughts, while compulsions are repetitive behaviors performed in response to those thoughts.

Question 12

George has just reported to the hospital. He seems to have a sensory problem, but there is nothing wrong with any of his sensory systems. Still he can not feel any sensation at all in his hand. Furthermore he displays "la belle indifference" regarding this problem. You begin to suspect a psychological problem, most likely

Accepted Answer

George's symptoms, including the lack of sensation in his hand without any identifiable physical cause and his "la belle indifference" (a term used to describe a patient's unconcerned attitude towards their symptoms), are characteristic of a functional neurological symptom disorder (FND). FND is a condition where patients experience neurological symptoms that can't be explained by medical or neurological conditions.

Question 13

You are assessing an individual who is on trial for murder. The diagnosis is antisocial personality disorder. To support this, you might look for a deficiency in

Accepted Answer

MAOA is an enzyme that breaks down neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine. A deficiency in MAOA can lead to an increase in these neurotransmitters, which can contribute to the symptoms of antisocial personality disorder, such as aggression and impulsivity.

Question 14

Jordan has a high degree of anxiety. The anxiety overwhelms him in an unpredictable fashion and he has developed agoraphobia. Jordan is most likely suffering from

Accepted Answer

Panic disorder is characterized by sudden and unpredictable episodes of intense anxiety, which can lead to the development of agoraphobia as individuals fear having panic attacks in situations where escape might be difficult.

Question 15

A new patient has just shown up at the clinic. His medical records indicate abnormal development of the cerebellum and that there was an accelerated pruning of neural connections. You suspect that this patient has

Accepted Answer

Autistic spectrum disorder is associated with abnormal cerebellar development and atypical neural pruning processes.

Question 16

Sandy feels down. The feeling has been going on for years, but is not full-blown depression. Most likely Sandy is suffering from

Accepted Answer

Dysthymia, now known as Persistent Depressive Disorder, is characterized by a long-term (two years or more) low mood that is not as severe as major depression. Sandy's symptoms align with this condition, as she feels down for years but does not experience the full severity of major depressive disorder.

Question 17

You are a defence attorney and your client is on trial for murder. You plan to argue that he was not in his right state of mind when the crime was committed. Your argument is trying to establish

Accepted Answer

The insanity defense is used to argue that a defendant was not in their right state of mind at the time of the crime and therefore cannot be held fully responsible for their actions. This defense focuses on the mental state of the defendant during the commission of the crime, rather than their current mental state (which would relate to competency).

Question 18

Sandy feels down. She has intense negative thoughts about herself, the world, and her future. Most likely, Sandy is suffering from

Accepted Answer

Sandy's symptoms of intense negative thoughts about herself, the world, and her future are characteristic of major depression. This condition often involves persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a lack of interest or pleasure in activities.

Question 19

You are assessing an individual who is on trial for murder. The diagnosis is antisocial personality disorder. To support this, you might look for brain dysfunction in the

Accepted Answer

The prefrontal cortex is associated with functions such as decision making, impulse control, and social behavior, which are often impaired in individuals with antisocial personality disorder. Dysfunction in this area can contribute to the behaviors observed in this disorder.

Question 20

A new patient has just shown up at the clinic. His records indicate a deterioration of the frontal and temporal lobes and the build up of plaques in the brain. You suspect that this patient has

Accepted Answer

The deterioration of the frontal and temporal lobes along with the buildup of plaques in the brain are characteristic signs of Alzheimer's disease, which is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder.

Quiz 16: Psychological Disorders