Behavior & Mental Status Content

Question 1

Describe lethargic patients

Answer 1

Lethargic patients are drowsy, but open their eyes and look at you,
respond to questions, and then fall asleep.

Question 2

Describe obtunded patients

Answer 2

Obtunded patients open their eyes and look at you, but respond slowly and are somewhat confused.

Question 3

What is the characteristic posture and motor behavior of a patient with depression?

Answer 3

• Hopeless slumped posture
• Slowed movements
• Slow speech

Question 4

What is dysarthria?

Answer 4

Defective articulation

Question 5

What is aphasia?

Answer 5

Disorder of language

Question 6

What is dysphonia?

Answer 6

Impaired volume, quality, or pitch of the voice.

Question 7

Describe the flight of ideas thought processes and in what condition is this common?

Answer 7

• An almost continuous flow of accelerated speech with abrupt changes from one topic to the next. Changes are based on understandable associations, plays on words, or distracting stimuli, but ideas are not well connected.
• Most frequently noted in manic episodes

Question 8

Describe neologisms and in what conditions is this common?

Answer 8

• Invented or distorted words, or words with new and highly idiosyncratic meanings
• Neologisms are observed in schizophrenia, psychotic disorders,
  and aphasia

Question 9

Describe incoherence and in what conditions is this common?

Answer 9

• Speech that is incomprehensible and illogical, with lack of meaningful connections, abrupt changes in topic, or disordered grammar or word use. Flight of ideas, when severe, may produce incoherence
• Incoherence is seen in severe psychotic disturbances (usually schizophrenia).

Question 10

Describe confabulation and in what conditions is this common?

Answer 10

• Fabrication of facts or events in response to questions, to fill in the gaps from impaired memory
• Confabulation is seen in Korsakoff syndrome from alcoholism

Question 11

Describe echolalia and in what conditions is this common?

Answer 11

• Repetition of the words and phrases of others
• Echolalia occurs in manic episodes and schizophrenia

Question 12

What are illusions and in what conditions can they occur?

Answer 12

• Misinterpretations of real external stimuli, such as mistaking rustling leaves for the sound of voices
• Illusions may occur in grief reactions, delirium, acute and posttraumatic stress disorders, and schizophrenia

Question 13

What are hallucinations and in what conditions can they occur?

Answer 13

• Perception-like experiences that seem real but, unlike illusions, lack actual external stimulation. The person may or may not recognize the experiences as false. Hallucinations may be auditory, visual, olfactory, gustatory, tactile, or somatic.
• False perceptions associated with dreaming, falling asleep, and awakening are not classified as hallucinations.
• Hallucinations may occur in delirium, dementia (less commonly), posttraumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, and alcoholism