Question 1

Margaret has been suffering with dysthymia for several years and has sought treatment on several occasions. About one month ago she developed more severe symptoms of depression which have been maintained almost daily. The condition she is experiencing is best described as

Accepted Answer

Margaret's condition is best described as "double depression," which occurs when a person with dysthymia (persistent depressive disorder) experiences a major depressive episode on top of their chronic low-grade depression.

Question 2

Individuals who do not show a decrease in cortisol levels in response to an injection of dexamethasone

Accepted Answer

Dexamethasone is a synthetic glucocorticoid that typically suppresses cortisol production. If cortisol levels do not decrease after dexamethasone administration, it indicates a dysfunction in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which is often associated with depression.

Question 3

The fact that bright light may be an effective treatment for seasonal affective disorder suggests that

Accepted Answer

Bright light therapy is thought to help reset the biological clock, which can be disrupted in individuals with seasonal affective disorder, suggesting that the disorder is related to a malfunctioning biological clock.

Question 4

Drugs that alter the availability of norepinephrine and serotonin are not clinically effective in the treatment of depression for several weeks. Which of the following does this finding suggest?

Accepted Answer

The delay in clinical effectiveness suggests that changes in neurotransmitter function, such as receptor sensitivity or downstream signaling pathways, rather than immediate changes in neurotransmitter levels, are responsible for the therapeutic effects of antidepressants.

Question 5

Many people who are depressed

Accepted Answer

Depressed individuals often enter REM sleep earlier and have increased REM sleep, especially early in the night.

Question 6

A rapid return of symptoms immediately after drug treatment is terminated is a common example of ________. A return to depressive symptoms after a period of spontaneous remission of symptoms is called a _.

Accepted Answer

Relapse refers to the return of symptoms shortly after stopping treatment, while recurrence refers to the return of symptoms after a period of remission.

Question 7

A recurrent depressive episode

Accepted Answer

A recurrent depressive episode is characterized by the occurrence of one or more previous episodes of depression.

Question 8

Which of the following is NOT a brain area that has been found to exhibit abnormalities in depressed patients?

Accepted Answer

The basal ganglia is not typically highlighted as a primary area of abnormality in depression, unlike the hippocampus, anterior cingulate gyrus, and amygdala, which are more commonly associated with the condition.

Question 9

Independent life events are those that

Accepted Answer

Independent life events are those that occur outside of the client's control, meaning they are not influenced by the client's actions or personality.

Question 10

John's erratic behavior finally ruined his marriage. What kind of life event would this be described as?

Accepted Answer

A dependent life event is one that is influenced or caused by the individual's own actions or behavior, such as John's erratic behavior leading to the end of his marriage.

Question 11

Which of the following statements is supported by research on the role of genetic influences in unipolar disorder?

Accepted Answer

Research indicates that the more severe the depressive disorder, the greater the genetic contribution, suggesting a stronger genetic influence in severe cases of unipolar disorder.

Question 12

Seasonal affective disorder is best described as a depressive disorder.

Accepted Answer

Seasonal affective disorder is characterized by recurrent depressive episodes that occur at a specific time of year, typically in the winter months.

Question 13

Which of the following is a true statement about the recurrence of depressive symptoms?

Accepted Answer

Most individuals diagnosed with major depression will experience a recurrence of depressive symptoms at some point in their lives.

Question 14

Which of the following is most likely to be seen in children who are at risk for depression?

Accepted Answer

Decreased left hemisphere activity has been associated with depression, and children at risk for depression may show similar patterns.

Question 15

Which of the following is a research finding that is inconsistent with the monoamine hypothesis of depression?

Accepted Answer

The monoamine hypothesis suggests that depression is associated with low levels of monoamines like serotonin and norepinephrine. Therefore, increases in noradrenergic activity in depressed patients would be inconsistent with this hypothesis.

Question 16

The finding that people with one type of serotonin transporter gene and childhood maltreatment had higher rates of depression than either those without the gene or those with the gene without the maltreatment suggests that

Accepted Answer

The finding suggests a gene-environment interaction, where both the presence of a specific gene and environmental factors like childhood maltreatment contribute to the development of depression.

Question 17

Over the past two years, Kelly has experienced depressive episodes three different times. Two of the three episodes occurred in the winter and the third occurred last spring. It is now winter and Kelly's depressive symptoms once again are consistent with major depressive disorder. Which of the following diagnoses should she be given?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Over the past two years, Kelly has...

Question 18

Deena has major depressive disorder. Most days she feels very sad, but when her sister came and told Deena she was going to be an Aunt, Deena felt happy for a little while. She has been gaining weight and sleeping much of the day. Deena most likely has

Accepted Answer

Deena's ability to feel happy when her sister shared good news, along with weight gain and excessive sleeping, are indicative of atypical features in major depressive disorder.

Question 19

What is meant by the phrase "double depression"?

Accepted Answer

Double depression refers to a condition where an individual with dysthymia (persistent depressive disorder) experiences an episode of major depressive disorder.

Question 20

The average duration of an untreated episode of depression is

Accepted Answer

The average duration of an untreated episode of depression is typically around 6 months, although it can vary among individuals.

Quiz 6: Mood Disorders and Suicide