18 Intro to Psychiatry

Question 1

What is ‘conversion disorder’?

Answer 1

When psychological distress manifests as a physical symptom

Question 2

Differentiate between neurology and psychology.

Answer 2

Neurology= disorders of nervous system with established aetiologies, demonstrable anatomical pathology and physical symptoms eg parkinsons

Psychiatry= disorders of mood, thought, behaviour with no or only minor physical signs with no visible pathology

Question 3

Differentiate between functional and organic psychiatry.

Answer 3

Functional= neurotic disorders (eg depression, anxiety) or psychotic disorders (eg schizophrenia, bipolar disorder)

Organic= eg dementia- psychiatric manifestations of epilepsy/parkinsons/ stroke/ huntingtons etc

Question 4

What other approaches are there for treating mental illness other than psychopharmacotherapy?

Answer 4

• Psychotherapy
• Social approaches

Question 5

What genetic factors may increase someone’s risk of psychosis? (lifetime risk of 1% in general population)

Answer 5

• Increased risk if sibling/other relative has schizophrenia
  
  • Monozygotic twin pairs have 45% concordance