Question 1

If a person suffering from schizophrenia has an identical twin, that twin

Accepted Answer

Identical twins share the same genes, and since schizophrenia has a genetic component, if one twin has schizophrenia, the other has a significantly increased risk compared to the general population. Studies have shown that the other twin has about a 46 percent chance of also being diagnosed with schizophrenia, reflecting the genetic influence on the disorder.

Question 2

Schizophrenia is most commonly found in

Accepted Answer

Schizophrenia most commonly manifests in young adulthood, typically in the late teens to early 30s.

Question 3

Conversion disorder and hypochondriasis are classified as

Accepted Answer

Somatoform disorders are a group of psychiatric conditions where patients experience physical symptoms that are inconsistent with or cannot be fully explained by any underlying medical or neurological condition. Conversion disorder and hypochondriasis (now more commonly referred to as Illness Anxiety Disorder in DSM-5) are classified under somatoform disorders, as they both involve the presentation of physical symptoms or health concerns that are not attributable to a physical disease process, but rather are thought to arise from psychological issues.

Question 4

An unusual state called "waxy flexibility" is sometimes observed in __________ schizophrenia.

Accepted Answer

Waxy flexibility is a symptom associated with catatonic schizophrenia, where the patient exhibits a decreased response to stimuli and a tendency to remain in an immobile posture.

Question 5

Which of the following medical conditions can produce a mild neurocognitive disorder and mild impairments in social/occupational functioning?

Accepted Answer

HIV can produce a mild neurocognitive disorder and mild impairments in social/occupational functioning.

Question 6

True paranoids are rarely treated or admitted to hospitals because

Accepted Answer

Paranoids often resist the attempts of others to offer help due to their distrust and suspicion, making it difficult for them to seek or accept treatment.

Question 7

It has been discovered that all major anti-psychotic drugs

Accepted Answer

Major antipsychotic drugs work primarily by blocking the action of dopamine, a neurotransmitter, in the brain, which helps to alleviate symptoms of psychosis such as hallucinations and delusions.

Question 8

The term schizophrenia can be interpreted to mean

Accepted Answer

Schizophrenia is characterized by a split between thought and emotion, not by multiple personalities or being synonymous with insanity or dissociative reactions.

Question 9

A psychosis arising from an advanced stage of syphilis, in which the disease attacks brain cells, is called

Accepted Answer

General paresis, also known as general paralysis of the insane or paralytic dementia, is a neuropsychiatric disorder affecting the brain, caused by late-stage syphilis. It leads to progressive dementia and motor function impairment.

Quiz 9: Psychological Disorders and Abnormal Behavior