Question 1

This mood stabilizer is a naturally occurring salt, but can have a number of serious side effects-including seizures or coma if the blood levels of the drug become too high.

Accepted Answer

The description matches Lithium, which is a naturally occurring salt and can cause serious side effects if blood levels become too high. Lamictal, Depakote, and Abilify may have side effects, but they do not match the given description.

Question 2

First-generation antipsychotics restrict the availability of this neurotransmitter.

Accepted Answer

First-generation antipsychotics, also known as typical antipsychotics, primarily work by blocking the dopamine neurotransmitter in the brain, which can help alleviate symptoms of psychosis.

Question 3

In addition to feeling "drugged," patients taking first-generation antipsychotics for a long period of time risked the development of this serious neurological condition.

Accepted Answer

Tardive dyskinesia is a serious neurological condition characterized by uncontrollable, repetitive movements of the face and body. It is a potential side effect of long-term use of first-generation antipsychotics. Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's disease are all neurological conditions, but they are not directly related to the use of antipsychotic medication.

Question 4

In comparison to using first-generation antipsychotics for treating schizophrenia, second-generation antipsychotics

Accepted Answer

The answer of In comparison to using first-generation antipsychotics for...

Question 5

This is a common practice in publishing medical articles, in which some authors make little to no contribution to the actual writing of the article.

Accepted Answer

Ghost-writing refers to the practice of having someone else write an article or manuscript and then having one or more authors named as the official authors of the work, despite making little or no actual contribution to the content of the piece. This can be particularly problematic in medical research, where conflicts of interest and financial ties between authors and research sponsors may bias the results presented.

Question 6

The systematic exclusion of certain types of results from publication in favour of other types of results is called

Accepted Answer

Publication bias refers to the systematic exclusion of certain types of research findings from publication, favoring positive or significant results over negative or non-significant results. Ghost-writing refers to the practice of writing an article or manuscript on behalf of someone else who is credited as the author. Experimenter bias refers to the influence of the experimenter's expectations on the outcomes of a study. Demand characteristics refer to cues within an experiment that suggest to participants what behaviors or responses are expected of them.

Question 7

In this form of therapy, a patient is anesthetized, given muscle relaxants, and then a brief, low-voltage electric shock is passed through the brain

Accepted Answer

The description matches electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), which involves inducing a controlled seizure through the use of electric current passing through the brain. The patient is given general anesthesia and muscle relaxants to minimize discomfort and prevent injury. Electroencephalography (A) involves recording the electrical activity of the brain but does not involve anesthesia or electric shocks. Electrocardiogram (B) records the electrical activity of the heart and is not related to brain stimulation. Psychosurgery (D) involves surgical intervention in the brain to treat mental illnesses and does not involve electric shocks.

Question 8

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is controversial mainly because early versions of the therapy

Accepted Answer

Early versions of ECT were known to cause physical and cognitive damage, leading to controversy surrounding the treatment.

Question 9

This biological treatment involves placing an electromagnetic coil on the scalp to send short electromagnetic pulses through the skull, gently stimulating the cerebral cortex.

Accepted Answer

The treatment being described is repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), which involves placing an electromagnetic coil on the scalp to send short electromagnetic pulses through the skull, gently stimulating the cerebral cortex. Options A, B, and D do not accurately describe this treatment.

Question 10

Early psychosurgical techniques primarily involved lobotomy procedures, which consist of cutting connections to the

Accepted Answer

Early psychosurgical techniques focused on lobotomy procedures that involved cutting connections to the prefrontal cortex, which was believed to control emotions and impulsive behavior. This procedure would sometimes involve severing the nerve fibers that connected the prefrontal cortex to the rest of the brain.

Question 11

The goal of cognitive behaviour therapy is insight, or accurate self-knowledge of unconscious motivations

Accepted Answer

The goal of cognitive behaviour therapy is to identify and change maladaptive thoughts and behaviours, with a focus on present symptoms rather than unconscious motivations. While increased self-awareness may be a beneficial by-product of therapy, it is not the primary goal.

Question 12

Psychoanalysis and psychodynamic therapy are generally effective more quickly than other modern therapeutic approaches

Accepted Answer

This statement is false. Psychoanalysis and psychodynamic therapy are generally longer-term therapies that require more time and commitment from the patient. Other modern therapeutic approaches, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, can often produce more immediate results.

Question 13

This basic assumption underlies both systematic desensitization and flooding: Phobias are maintained by avoidance of the feared object or situation, and the solution is to compel the phobic person to face his or her fears directly

Accepted Answer

Both systematic desensitization and flooding involve exposing the phobic person to the feared object or situation in order to confront and overcome their fear, which is based on the assumption that avoiding the fear maintains the phobia.

Question 14

Cognitive therapy is the most effective of all psychotherapies for treating depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia

Accepted Answer

Cognitive therapy is effective for depression and anxiety, but schizophrenia often requires a combination of medication and other therapeutic approaches.

Question 15

The reason that a cognitive-behaviour therapist would ask a client to keep a thought journal is so that the therapist can help the client understand his or her daydream

Accepted Answer

A cognitive-behavior therapist asks a client to keep a thought journal to identify and challenge negative thought patterns and beliefs, not to understand daydreams.

Question 16

First-generation antipsychotics work primarily by restricting the availability of the neurotransmitter dopamine, either by blocking dopamine receptors entirely or by inhibiting the neurotransmitter's release

Accepted Answer

First-generation antipsychotics, also known as typical antipsychotics, primarily act by blocking dopamine receptors or reducing dopamine release in the brain. This is why they are also referred to as dopamine antagonists.

Question 17

Increasing numbers of clinicians have realized that effective treatment must address the biological, psychological, and social lives of each individual

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. Many healthcare professionals now understand the importance of a comprehensive and holistic approach to treatment that takes into consideration all aspects of a patient's life, including their biology, psychology, and social environment.

Question 18

Barbiturates are mildly sedating and may reduce anxiety symptoms, at least in the short term, while not "knocking the person off his or her feet."

Accepted Answer

Barbiturates are potent sedative-hypnotics that can significantly depress the central nervous system, leading to profound sedation or anesthesia, rather than just mild sedation or solely reducing anxiety symptoms.

Question 19

The dodo bird verdict applies to SSRI drugs: No one of these drugs is more effective overall than any other

Accepted Answer

The dodo bird verdict, also known as the therapeutic equivalence hypothesis, suggests that psychotherapies and treatments for mental health disorders have similar effectiveness and that no one treatment is consistently superior to another. This has also been applied to SSRI drugs, indicating that no one specific SSRI drug is more effective overall than another.

Question 20

In publicly funded studies of antidepressants, less than 50 percent of patients experienced an end to their depression after pharmacotherapy with antidepressants

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. Studies have shown that less than half of patients with depression who undergo pharmacotherapy with antidepressants experience complete remission of their symptoms.

Quiz 19: Mental Health Treatment