Malcolm, aged 35, is severely depressed. Because of this, he is given electroconvulsive shock therapy. After treatment, he is sent home and does much better. However, his TV-watching behavior is strange. Which is the most likely behavior pattern?
A) Malcolm does not remember that he has a TV.
B) Malcolm does not remember any episodes of shows going back 25 years.
C) Malcolm thinks that last year's episodes of his favorite series are new.
D) Malcolm can no longer understand long sentences if they occur in the dialogue.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This behavior pattern is consistent with a possible side effect of electroconvulsive shock therapy called "retrograde amnesia," which can cause a person to forget recent events but still retain older memories. However, it may also affect the ability to remember when those memories occurred, leading to confusion about what is new and what is old. This could explain why Malcolm believes last year's episodes of his favorite series are new. The other options are less likely or not consistent with known side effects of the therapy.

Malcolm, Aged 35, Is Severely Depressed