Mnemonics

Question 1

Generalized anxiety symptoms

How many are required for diagnosis?

Answer 1

BE SKIM (3+ symptoms needed): 
Blank mind
Easily fatigued
Sleep disturbance
Keyed up
Iritability
Muscle tension

Question 2

Panic disorders, symptoms (also, how many are needed for the diagnosis)

Answer 2

STUDENTS FEAR THE 3 Cs (4 + symptoms needed for diagnosis)
Sweating
Trembling
Unsteadiness
Depersonalization/derealization
Excessive heart rate
Nausea
Tingling
Shortness of breath
FEAR: fear of dying
The 3 Cs: Chest pain, choking, chills

Question 3

Depression, symptoms. Also, how many symptoms are needed and duration.

Answer 3

M SIGE CAPS ( 5 symptoms needed for over 2 weeks. Must include decreased mood and/or decreased interest).
Mood: decreased
Sleep: increased/decreased
Interest: decreased
Guilt
Energy: decreased
Concentration: decreased
Appetite: increased/decreased
Psychomotor: agitation/retardation 
Suicidal ideations

Question 4

PTSD, criteria

Answer 4

TRAUMA
Traumatic event
Re-experiencing event
Avoid stimuli reminding of trauma
Unable to function
More than 1 month
Arousal increased
\+ negative alterations in cognition and mood

Question 5

Paranoid personality disorder, symptoms. How many are needed for diagnosis?

Answer 5

Paranoid personality disorder: SUSPECT (4+ needed for diagnosis)
Suspicious
Unforgiving
Spousal infidelity suspect without justification
Perceive attacks on character, counteracts quickly
Enemies or friends? Preoccupied with trustworthiness
Confiding in others is feared
Threats interpreted in benign remarks

Question 6

Schizoid personality disorder, symptoms. How many are needed for diagnosis?

Answer 6

Schiziod personality disorder: DISTANT (4+ needed for diagnosis)
Detatched/flat affect, emotionally cold
Indifferent to praise or criticism
Sexual experiences of little interest
Tasks done solitarily
Absence of close friends
Neither desires nor enjoys close relationships
Takes pleasure in few (if any) activities

Question 7

Schizotypal personality disorder, symptoms. How many are needed for diagnosis?

Answer 7

Schizotypal personality disorder: ME PECULIAR (5+ needed for diagnosis)
Magical thinking
Experiences unusal perceptions (including body illusions)
Paranoid ideation
Eccentric behaviour or appearence
Constricted or inappropriate affect
Unusual thinking/speech
Lacks close friends
Ideas for reference
Anxiety in social situations
Rule out psychotic/pervasive developmental disorders

Question 8

Borderline personality disorder, symptoms. How many are needed for diagnosis?

Answer 8

Borderline personality disorder: IMPULSIVE (5+ required)
Impulsive (minimum 2 self-damaging ways e.g sex/drugs/spending)
Mood/affect instability
Paranoia og dissociation under stress
Unstable self-image
Labile intense relationships
Suicidal gestures/self-harm
Inappropriate anger
aVoiding abandoment (real or imagined, frantic efforts)
Emptiness (feelings of)

Question 9

Narcissistic personality disorder, symptoms. How many are needed for diagnosis?

Answer 9

Narcissistic personality disorder: GRANDIOSE (5+ needed for diagnosis)
Grandiose
Requires excessive admiration
Arrogant
Needs to be special (and associate with other specials)
Dreams of success, power, beauty, love
Interpersonally exploitative
Others (lacks empathy, unable to recognize feelings/needs of others)
Sense of entitlement
Envious (or believes others are envious)

Question 10

Antisocial personality disorder, symptoms. How many are needed for diagnosis?

Answer 10

Antisocial personality disorder: CORRUPT 3+ needed for diagnosis
Cannot conform to law
Obligations ignored (irresposible) 
Reckless disregard for safety
Remorseless
Underhanded (deceitful)
Planning insufficient (impulsive)
Temper (irritable and aggressive)

Question 11

Histrionic personality disorder, symptoms. How many are needed for diagnosis?

Answer 11

Histrionic personality disorder: ACTRESSS (5+ needed for diagnosis)
Appearance used to attract attention
Centre of attention (else uncomfortable)
Theatrical
Relationships (believed to be more intimate than they are)
Easily influenced
Seductive behaviour
Shallow expression of emotions (which rapidly shift)
Speech (impressionistic and vague)

Question 12

Avoidant personality disorder, symptoms. How many are needed for diagnosis?

Answer 12

Avoidant personality disorder: CRINGES (4+ needed for diagnosis)
Criticism or rejection preoccupies thoughts in social situation
Restraint in relationships due to fear of being shamed
Inhibited in new relationships due to fear of inadequacy
Needs to be sure of being liked before engaging socially
Gets aroud occupational activities requiring interpersonal contact
Embarrassment prevents new activity or taking risks
Self-viewed as unappealing or inferior

Question 13

Obsessive-Compulsive personality disorder, symptoms. How many are needed for diagnosis?

Answer 13

Obsessive-Compulsive personality disorder: SCRIMPER (4+ symptoms needed for diagnosis)
Stubborn
Cannot discard worthless objects
Rule/detail obsessed (to point of activity lost)
Inflexible in matters of morality, ethics, values
Miserly
Perfectionistic
Excludes leisure due to devotion to work
Reluctant to delegate to others

Question 14

Dependent personality disorder, symptoms. How many are needed for diagnosis?

Answer 14

Dependent personality disorder: RELIANCE (5+ needed for diagnosis)
Reassurance required for everyday decisions
Expressing disagreement difficult
Life responsibilities assumed by others
Initiating projects difficult (because no confidence)
Alone (feels helpless and uncomfortable when alone)
Nurturance (goes to excessive lengths to obtain it)
Companionship sought urgently
Exaggerated fears of being left to care for self

Question 15

Risk factors for suicide

Answer 15

SAD PERSONS
Sex (male)
Age > 60 yrs
Depression
Previous attempts
Ethanol abuse
Rational thinking loss
Suicide in family
Organized plan
No spouse/support
Serious illness/intractable pain

Question 16

Hallmarks of narcolepsy

Answer 16

Excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy, hypnagogic hallucinations (happening as you fall asleep), sleep paralysis

Question 17

Treatment of narcolepsy

Answer 17

Methylphenidate (Ritalin)

Question 18

Name the extrapyramidal symptoms

Answer 18

1) Dystonia
2) Akathisia
3) Neuroleptic malignant syndrome
4) Tardive dyskinisia
5) Parkinsonism

Question 19

Dystonia: symptoms and treatment

Answer 19

Symptoms: Sustained abnormal posture, torsions, twisting, contraction of muscle groups, muscle spasms (i.e oculogyric crisis, laryngospasm, torticollis).

Treatment: If acute - benztropine (anticholinergic) or dephenhydramine (antihistamine)

Question 20

Symptoms and treatment of akathisia

Answer 20

Symptoms: Motor restlessness, crawling sensation in legs relieved by walking, very distressing, increased risk of suicide and poor adherance.

Treatment: if acute - Lorazepam (benzodiazepine), propranolol (beta-blocker) or diphenhydramine (antihistamine). Reduce dose or change antipsychotic to lower potency

Question 21

Pseudoparkinsonism; symptoms and treatment

Answer 21

Symptoms: Tremor, rigidity (cogwheeling), akinesia, postural instability (decreased/absent armswing, stooped posture, shuffling gait, difficulty pivoting).

Treatment: Benztropine (anticholinergic). Reduce dose og change antipsychotic to low potency atypical antipsychotic

Question 22

Tardive dyskinesia: Symptoms and treatment

Answer 22

Symptoms: Purposeless, constant movements, involving facial and mouth musculature, less commonly the limbs; rarely also the diaphragm (hiccups)

Treatment: No good treatments. Try clozapine, discontinue drug or reduce dosage

Question 23

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome: symptoms, laboratory findings and treatment

Answer 23

NB! Psychiatric emergency!
Symptoms: Tetrad of mental status change, fever, rigidity, autonomic instability.

Labs: Increased creatine phosphokinase, leukocytosis, myoglobinuria

Treatment: Supportive: discontinue antipsychotic drug, hydration, cooling blankets, dantrolene (muscle relaxant), bromocriptine (dopamine agonist)

Question 24

Side effects of antipsychotics, divided into systems that are affected ( 7 systems)

Answer 24

1) Anticholinergic: Dry mouth, urinary retention, constipation, blurred vision, confusional states
2) Beta-adrenergic blockade: Orthostatic hypotension, erectile dysfunction, failure to ejaculate
3) Dopaminergic blockade: Extrapyramidal syndromes, galactorrhea, amenorrhea, erectile dysfunction, weight gain
4) Anti-histamine: Sedation, weight gain
5) Hematologic: Agranulocytosis (clozapine)
6) Hypersensitivity reactions: Liver dysfunction, blood dyscrasias, skin rashes, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, altered temperature regulation (hypo- or hyperthermia)
7) Endocrine: Metabolic syndrome:

Question 25

Mental status exam

Answer 25

ASEPTIC
Appearance and behaviour
Speech
Emotion (mood/affect)
Perception
Thought content and process
Insight and judgement
Cognition

Question 26

Diagnostic criteria for mania

Answer 26

GST PAID (3+ symptoms needed for 1 week) 
Grandiosity 
Sleep (decreased) 
Talkative
Pleasurable activities -> painful consequences 
Activity 
Ideas (flight of) 
Distractable

Question 27

Treatment for Bipolar depression

Answer 27

The 4 Ls: 
Lithium
Lamotrigine
Lurasidone
seroqueL (Quetiapine)

Question 28

Diagnostic criteria for generalized anxiety disorder

Answer 28

C-FIRST (3+ needed) 
Concentration issues
Fatigue
Irritability
Restlessness
Sleep disturbance
Tension (muscle)

Question 29

Etiology of delirium

Answer 29

I WATCH DEATH
Infectious
Withdrawal
Acute metabolic disorder (electrolytes, hepatic, renal failures)
Trauma
CNS pathology
Hypoxia (anemia, cardiac failure, PE)
Deficiencies (vit b12, folic acid, thiamine)
Endocrinopathies
Acute vascular
Toxins 
Heavy metals

Question 30

The 4 As of dementia

Answer 30

Amnesia
Aphasia
Apraxia
Agnosia (not able to identify objects/persons by using their senses)

Question 31

Criteria for substance use disorders

Answer 31

PEC WITH MCAT
Physical or Psychological Problem (use despite this)
External roles at work/school/home (failure to fulfill)
Craving
Withdrawal
Interpersonal problems (continued use despite this)
Tolerance
Hazardous situations (uses substances in these situations)
More substance and longer use than intended
Cut down failure
Activities given up due to substance
Time spent on using/finding substance