Mood disorders

Question 1

Types of mood disorders

Answer 1

• Dysthymia
• Adjustment Disorder
• Seasonal Affective Disorder
• Major Depression
• Manic Depressive Illness

Question 2

A prolonged chronic condition, with less severe symptoms than those of major depression. Although milder in nature, does tend to last two years or longer

Answer 2

Dysthymia

Question 3

It can occur in the aftermath of a sad or life
transitional events like
* the death of a loved one or
* the loss of a job.

Answer 3

Adjustment disorder

Question 4

A pattern of depression related to lack of
exposure to sunlight.

Answer 4

Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Question 5

How can you help patients with seasonal affective disorder

Answer 5

light bulbs that replaces loss sun light.

Question 6

Symptoms of major depression often include,

Answer 6

overwhelming feelings of sadness or
low energy and
feelings of worthlessness.

Question 7

Manic Depressive disorder

Answer 7

In some cases there are alternating periods that go
back and forth between hyper excitability and elation
known as mania and slow inactive state known as
depression

Question 8

There are two different types of depression:

Answer 8

Exogenous or reactive depression
Major depressive disorder (MDD).

Question 9

Depression that is caused by external factors such as death or the loss of a job

Answer 9

Exogenous or reactive depression

Question 10

Originates from within the body and may not
necessarily be associated within an easily recognised cause.

Answer 10

Major depressive disorder (MDD).

Question 11

Lower levels of serotonin leads to

Answer 11

mood destabilization & depression.

Question 12

Key brain areas involved in regulation of mood

Answer 12

Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex (VMPFC)
Lateral Orbital Prefrontal Cortex (LOPFC)
Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC)
Amygdala
Hippocampus

Question 13

Modulates pain and aggression, and sexual and eating
behaviours
Regulates autonomic and neuroendocrine response

Answer 13

Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex (VMPFC)

Question 14

Activity is increased in depression (also OCD, PTSD
& panic disorder)
Plays a role in correcting behavioural & emotional
responses

Answer 14

Lateral Orbital Prefrontal Cortex (LOPFC)

Question 15

Cognitive control, solving complex tasks, and
manipulation of information in working memory
Hypoactivity of it has been associated with
neuropsychological manifestation of depression

Answer 15

Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC)

Question 16

Regulates cortical arousal,
neuroendocrine response to surprisingambiguous stimuli
* Role in emotional learning/memory
* Activation of amygdala correlates with degree
of depression
* Implicated in tendency to ruminate
negative memories

Answer 16

Amygdala

Question 17

Has a role in episodic, contextual
learning and memory
* Regulatory feedback to HPA axis
* Dysfunction may be responsible for
inappropriate emotional responses

Answer 17

Hippocampus

Question 18

Mood Disorders are associated with high

Answer 18

co-morbidity

Question 19

Criteria for diagnosis of depression

Answer 19

The presence of the following symptoms for at least 2 weeks, present most of the time:
1. One or both of the core criteria
uLow or sad mood and/or
uLoss of interest or pleasure (anhedonia)
2. Several of the following
u Disturbed sleep
u Guilt or worthlessness or pessimism
u Fatigue or low energy
u Disturbed appetite or weight change
u Poor concentration or indecisiveness
u Psychomotor retardation or agitation
u Recurrent thoughts of death/suicidal ideas/attempts

Question 20

Criteria for diagnosis of mania

Answer 20

A. Mood elated, expansive or irritable and definitely abnormal for the
individual sustained for at least a week.
B. At least three of the following must be present leading to severe
interference with personal functioning in daily living:
(1) Increased activity or physical restlessness
(2) Increased talkativeness (‘pressure of speech’)
(3) Flight of ideas or the subjective experience of thoughts racing
(4) Loss of normal social inhibitions resulting in behaviour which is
inappropriate to the circumstances
(5) Decreased need for sleep
(6) Inflated self-esteem or grandiosity

Question 21

The depressed status is most responsible for functional impairment:

Answer 21

*the number of depressive rather than manic episodes, &
*the presence of chronic subsyndromal depressive symptoms are the strongest predictors of poor functioning in bipolar patients.