Mood Disorders — MCQs

A 29-year-old man presents to his primary care provider complaining of not being able to get enough rest at night. He goes to bed early enough and has otherwise good sleep hygiene but feels drained the next day. He feels he is unable to perform optimally at work, but he is still a valued employee and able to complete his share of the work. About a month ago his wife of 5 years asked for a divorce and quickly moved out. He has cut out coffee after 12 pm and stopped drinking alcohol. He also exercises 3 days per week. Today, his blood pressure is 120/80 mm Hg, heart rate is 95/min, respiratory rate is 25/min, and temperature is 37.0°C (98.6°F ). On physical exam, his heart has a regular rate and rhythm and his lungs are clear to auscultation bilaterally. A CMP, CBC, and thyroid test are negative. Which of the following statements best describes this patient’s condition?

A 21-year-old man presents to the clinic complaining of feeling tired during the day. He is concerned as his grades in school have worsened and he does not want to lose his scholarship. Upon further questioning, the patient describes frequently experiencing a dreamlike state before falling asleep and after waking up. He also has frequent nighttime awakenings where he finds himself unable to move. He denies snoring. The patient does not drink alcohol or abuse any other drugs. The patient's BMI is 21 kg/m2, and his vital signs are all within normal limits. What is this patient's diagnosis?

A 40-year-old man is brought into the emergency department because he was involved in a bar fight and sustained an injury to the head. The next day, as requested by the patient, the psychiatry team is called to address some of the concerns he has regarding his drinking habits. He admits that he got irate last night at the bar because his driver’s license was recently taken away and his wife had taken his children to live with her parents because of his drinking problem. He drinks 4–6 beers on a weeknight and more on the weekends. He wants to know if there is anything that could help him at this point. Which stage of overcoming his addiction is this patient currently in?

A 24-year-old man comes to the physician with a wound on his forearm. He says that he injured himself by absentmindedly walking into a glass door. He does not have health insurance. He has had 5 jobs in the past 8 months. He quit each job after 3–4 weeks because he found the work beneath him. He was imprisoned 6 years ago for credit card fraud. He was released from prison on parole a year ago. He was expelled from school at the age of 13 years for stealing school property and threatening to assault a teacher. He has fathered 6 children with 4 women. He says that he does not provide child support because he needs the money for his own personal expenses. The patient's vital signs are within normal limits. Examination of the forearm shows a 6 cm long, 0.5 cm deep wound with neat edges on the dorsal surface of the left forearm. There are bruises on the left shoulder, back, and the proximal phalanges of the right hand. On mental status examination, the patient is alert and calm. His mood is described as cheerful. His thought process, thought content, and speech are normal. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

A 17-year-old girl presents to the clinic on her own, complaining of fatigue and feeling cold all the time. She is also very concerned about several minor medical conditions she has developed over the last year or so. Her past medical history is noncontributory. Menarche was at age 11 and her last menstrual period was 3 months ago. Her mother has hypothyroidism and she is concerned that she has it too. She proudly describes her “healthy” routine that consists of 2 grapefruits a day for breakfast and lunch and no dinner and that she runs 6 miles 4 times a week. She reports having good grades in school and that she tries very hard to fit in with the popular girls. She is also concerned that she has trouble losing weight and persistently asks for a prescription for weight loss medication. Her temperature is 36.9°C (98.5°F), blood pressure is 110/70 mm Hg, pulse is 60/min, and respirations are 13/min. Physical examination reveals a thin girl with pale mucosa and lanugo on her arms and back. Urine hCG is negative. Which of the following will most likely be detected in this patient?

A 60-year-old man is brought to the emergency department after a fall. He has been seen by the triage nurse but has not been evaluated by a physician. He is heard yelling down the hallway, requesting to speak to “whoever is in charge.” He refuses to talk to the emergency resident and insists on talking to the attending physician despite being informed that the attending is currently resuscitating a patient who was in a car accident. He says that he deserves better treatment because he has made numerous contributions to the field of medicine. When asked about his work, he mentions that he was a medical device salesman. He is accompanied by his wife, who appears embarrassed. She claims that her husband frequently makes a scene and apologizes for her husband's behavior. On mental status examination, the patient is oriented to person, place, and time. He appears agitated and speaks in short, pressured sentences. There is no disorder of thought process or content. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

A 15-year-old boy is brought to the physician by his parents for evaluation of his “weird” behavior. The parents report that their son tortured their cat to death two weeks ago. Over the past year, he has been accused of stealing a car and setting a fire at his school. He has no history of serious illness. He attends a local high school, and his performance at school is very poor compared to his classmates. He often loses his temper and argues with his teachers. He has smoked one pack of cigarettes daily for 2 years. He does not drink alcohol. His mother has a 10-year history of schizophrenia controlled with medication. On mental status examination, he is oriented to person, place, and time. The pupils are equal and reactive to light. His speech is normal in rate and rhythm, and his thought process is organized. Short- and long-term memory are intact. Attention and concentration are poor. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

A 9-year-old girl is brought to the pediatrician for a wellness checkup. The girl's past medical history is non-contributory, and she has met all her developmental milestones. Her parents were recently called into the office as the girl was found touching the genitals of one of her classmates. She was trying to insert a toy into her classmate's genitals. The girl is asked what has happened and what she thinks is going on but she is too shy to reply to the physician. The girl and her mother recently moved in with a family member. They live in low-income housing subsidized by the government and are currently on food stamps. The mother states that her daughter has been particularly argumentative lately and that they have gotten into arguments in which her daughter screamed at her and locked herself in the bathroom. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

A 60-year-old woman is brought into the office by her son. Her son states that the patient has been acting inappropriately over the last few years. She has been taking off her clothes in front of visitors and putting objects in her mouth. She has had no emotional response to the death of one of her close friends and was laughing at her funeral. She has almost no memory issues, but sometimes forgets how to use objects such as a telephone. She has no other medical issues and takes no medications. On exam, she has no focal neurological deficits and her mini-mental status exam is 25/30. What is the most likely diagnosis?

A 25-year-old man is brought to the emergency department by police for aggressive behavior. The patient is combative and shouts sexually aggressive remarks at the nursing staff. While obtaining the patient’s vitals, it is noted that he has markedly dilated pupils. His temperature is 98.2°F (36.8°C), pulse is 112/min, blood pressure is 130/70 mmHg, respirations are 18/min, and oxygen saturation is 98% on room air. Urine toxicology is obtained and sent off. Physical exam is notable for an energetic patient with dilated pupils and increased sweating. The patient spends the night in the emergency department. In the morning the patient is withdrawn and has a notable depressed affect. He apologizes for his behavior the previous night and states that he is concerned about his problem and wants help. Which of the following is appropriate management of this patient?