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Question 1
Incorrect
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What is the average number of digits that individuals can remember in the digit span forwards test?
Your Answer: 6 +/- 1
Correct Answer: 7 +/- 2
Explanation:The Magical Number Seven, Plus of Minus Two: Some Limits on Our Capacity for Processing Information
Miller’s (1956) study focused on the limits of our short-term memory capacity, specifically in regards to our ability to recall sequences of numbers. The digit span test, which involves repeating back increasingly longer sequences of numbers both forwards and backwards, is used to measure this capacity. Miller found that the normal range for Digit Span forward was a maximum span of 7±2 digits. This study highlights the limitations of our short-term memory and the importance of understanding these limitations in various contexts, such as education and cognitive psychology.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Classification And Assessment
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Question 2
Incorrect
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Which medication has been associated with the occurrence of extrapyramidal side effects?
Your Answer: Procyclidine
Correct Answer: Fluoxetine
Explanation:EPSEs have been linked to the use of fluoxetine, and all of the treatment options are utilized to address them.
Extrapyramidal side-effects (EPSE’s) are a group of side effects that affect voluntary motor control, commonly seen in patients taking antipsychotic drugs. EPSE’s include dystonias, parkinsonism, akathisia, and tardive dyskinesia. They can be frightening and uncomfortable, leading to problems with non-compliance and can even be life-threatening in the case of laryngeal dystonia. EPSE’s are thought to be due to antagonism of dopaminergic D2 receptors in the basal ganglia. Symptoms generally occur within the first few days of treatment, with dystonias appearing quickly, within a few hours of administration of the first dose. Newer antipsychotics tend to produce less EPSE’s, with clozapine carrying the lowest risk and haloperidol carrying the highest risk. Akathisia is the most resistant EPSE to treat. EPSE’s can also occur when antipsychotics are discontinued (withdrawal dystonia).
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Psychopharmacology
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Question 3
Correct
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A middle-aged man with memory impairment is observed to wear his watch on his left wrist and then to put on another watch and wear it on his right wrist.
What phenomenon is being demonstrated in this scenario?Your Answer: Perseveration
Explanation:Common Behavioral Symptoms in Dementia
Perseveration is a behavior where a person repeatedly carries out an action beyond its normal usefulness. This behavior is often observed in individuals with dementia. Another behavior seen in dementia is Ambitendency, where a person alternates between two different actions. Echopraxia is an automatic imitation of the interviewer’s movement, even when asked not to. Mannerism is a repetitive action that appears to have some functional significance, such as saluting. Lastly, stereotypy is a repeated, regular movement that appears to have no significance. These behaviors can be challenging for caregivers to manage and may require specialized interventions.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Descriptive Psychopathology
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Question 4
Correct
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What assessment would you select to evaluate the functioning of the frontal lobe?
Your Answer: The Wisconsin card sorting test
Explanation:The tests that assess frontal lobe function include the Trail making test, Wisconsin card sorting test, Controlled oral word association, Verbal fluency, Tower of London (of Hanoi) tests, Rule shift cards test, Cognitive estimates test, Stroop test, Hayling test, Brixton test, Action programme test, Zoo map test, and The modified six elements test. On the other hand, the two point discrimination test evaluates somatosensory function, which is associated with the parietal lobe.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Cognitive Assessment
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Question 5
Correct
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Which structure secretes adrenocorticotropic hormone in the HPA axis?
Your Answer: Pituitary
Explanation:The anterior lobe of the pituitary gland secretes adrenocorticotropic hormone.
HPA Axis Dysfunction in Mood Disorders
The HPA axis, which includes regulatory neural inputs and a feedback loop involving the hypothalamus, pituitary, and adrenal glands, plays a central role in the stress response. Excessive secretion of cortisol, a glucocorticoid hormone, can lead to disruptions in cellular functioning and widespread physiologic dysfunction. Dysregulation of the HPA axis is implicated in mood disorders such as depression and bipolar affective disorder.
In depressed patients, cortisol levels often do not decrease as expected in response to the administration of dexamethasone, a synthetic corticosteroid. This abnormality in the dexamethasone suppression test is thought to be linked to genetic of acquired defects of glucocorticoid receptors. Tricyclic antidepressants have been shown to increase expression of glucocorticoid receptors, whereas this is not the case for SSRIs.
Early adverse experiences can produce long standing changes in HPA axis regulation, indicating a possible neurobiological mechanism whereby childhood trauma could be translated into increased vulnerability to mood disorder. In major depression, there is hypersecretion of cortisol, corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), and ACTH, and associated adrenocortical enlargement. HPA abnormalities have also been found in other psychiatric disorders including Alzheimer’s and PTSD.
In bipolar disorder, dysregulation of ACTH and cortisol response after CRH stimulation have been reported. Abnormal DST results are found more often during depressive episodes in the course of bipolar disorder than in unipolar disorder. Reduced pituitary volume secondary to LHPA stimulation, resulting in pituitary hypoactivity, has been observed in bipolar patients.
Overall, HPA axis dysfunction is implicated in mood disorders, and understanding the underlying mechanisms may lead to new opportunities for treatments.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Neurosciences
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Question 6
Correct
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Which movement disorder is most likely to be managed through suppression?
Your Answer: Stereotypies
Explanation:Movement Disorders: Key Features
Movement disorders refer to a range of conditions that affect voluntary muscle movements. These disorders can be caused by various factors, including neurological conditions, medication side effects, and metabolic imbalances. The following table outlines some of the key features of common movement disorders:
Akinesia: Absence of loss of control of voluntary muscle movements, often seen in severe Parkinson’s disease.
Bradykinesia: Slowness of voluntary movement, a core symptom of Parkinson’s disease.
Akathisia: Subjective feeling of inner restlessness, often caused by antipsychotic medication use.
Athetosis: Continuous stream of slow, flowing, writhing involuntary movements, often seen in cerebral palsy, stroke, and Huntington’s disease.
Chorea: Brief, quasi-purposeful, irregular contractions that appear to flow from one muscle to the next, often seen in Huntington’s disease and Wilson’s disease.
Dystonia: Involuntary sustained of intermittent muscle contractions that cause twisting and repetitive movements, abnormal postures, of both.
Dyskinesia: General term referring to problems with voluntary movements and the presence of involuntary movements, often drug-induced.
Myoclonus: A sequence of repeated, often non-rhythmic, brief shock-like jerks due to sudden involuntary contraction of relaxation of one of more muscles.
Parkinsonism: Syndrome characterized by tremor, rigidity, and bradykinesia.
Tic: Sudden, repetitive, non-rhythmic, stereotyped motor movement of vocalization involving discrete muscle groups, often seen in Tourette’s syndrome.
Tremor: Involuntary, rhythmic, alternating movement of one of more body parts, often seen in essential tremor, Parkinson’s disease, and alcohol withdrawal.
Hemiballismus: Repetitive, but constantly varying, large amplitude involuntary movements of the proximal parts of the limbs, often seen in stroke and traumatic brain injury.
Stereotypies: Repetitive, simple movements that can be voluntarily suppressed, often seen in autism and intellectual disability.
It is important to consider the underlying conditions and factors that may contribute to movement disorders in order to properly diagnose and treat these conditions.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Classification And Assessment
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Question 7
Incorrect
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What type of chromosome is most vulnerable to Robertsonian translocations?
Your Answer: Metacentric
Correct Answer: Acrocentric
Explanation:Robertsonian translocations can involve chromosomes with very small p arms, which are known as acrocentric chromosomes.
Understanding Centromeres
A centromere is a crucial part of DNA that connects two sister chromatids. It plays a vital role in cell division by keeping the sister chromatids aligned and allowing the chromosomes to be lined up during metaphase. The position of the centromere divides the chromosome into two arms, the long (q) and the short (p). Chromosomes are classified based on the position of the centromere. Metacentric chromosomes have arms of roughly equal length, and they can be formed by Robertsonian translocations. Acrocentric chromosomes can also be involved in Robertsonian translocations. Monocentric chromosomes have only one centromere and form a narrow constriction, while holocentric chromosomes have the entire length of the chromosome acting as the centromere. Understanding the role and classification of centromeres is essential in comprehending the process of cell division.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Genetics
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Question 8
Correct
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A 45-year-old man, currently unemployed, has been experiencing frequent panic attacks over the past few months. These attacks seem to be triggered by social situations and he has become increasingly isolated as a result. He has a history of childhood trauma and has never sought help for it before.
He begins a form of therapy that involves individual sessions with a therapist, group therapy, and access to crisis support via phone. The therapy focuses on identifying and managing his emotions, improving his social skills in the group setting, and developing healthy coping mechanisms for times of stress.
What type of therapy is being described in this scenario?Your Answer: Dialectical behaviour therapy
Explanation:The therapy being discussed is dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), which was created by Marsha Linehan, who had a personality disorder diagnosis and multiple hospital admissions. DBT involves mindfulness practice and the development of interpersonal skills through individual and group therapy sessions. All of the therapies mentioned are recognized treatments for personality disorders. Cognitive analytic therapy focuses on past relationships and object relations, while mentalisation-based therapy aims to improve mentalisation capacity through individual and group therapy. Schema-focused therapy builds on CBT to challenge cognitive coping strategies, and transference-focused therapy uses the therapist-client relationship to assess internal representations of past relational experiences.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Advanced Psychological Processes And Treatments
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Question 9
Incorrect
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Bion identified several basic assumption groups, but one of them is not included in the list.
Your Answer: Fight-flight
Correct Answer: Dynamic shift
Explanation:Bion, a psychoanalyst, was fascinated by group dynamics and believed that groups had a collective unconscious that functioned similarly to that of an individual. He argued that this unconsciousness protected the group from the pain of reality. Bion identified two types of groups: the ‘working group’ that functioned well and achieved its goals, and the ‘basic assumption group’ that acted out primitive fantasies and prevented progress. Bion then described different types of basic assumption groups, including ‘dependency,’ where the group turns to a leader to alleviate anxiety, ‘fight-flight,’ where the group perceives an enemy and either attacks of avoids them, and ‘pairing,’ where the group believes that the solution lies in the pairing of two members. These dynamics can be observed in various settings, such as when strangers come together for the first time of when doctors in different specialties criticize one another.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Social Psychology
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Question 10
Correct
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What stage of sleep do most adults spend the majority of their time in during the night?
Your Answer: Stage 2
Explanation:– Dement and Kleitman (1957) classified sleep into five stages.
– Normal adults spend the majority of their sleep in Stage 2 (55%).
– Non-REM sleep is divided into four stages: Stage 1 (5%), Stage 2 (55%), Stage 3 (5%), and Stage 4 (10%).
– REM sleep is Stage 5 and normal adults spend 25% of their sleep in this stage. -
This question is part of the following fields:
- Neurosciences
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