Mood Disorders Flashcards
physical symptoms a pt with depression might present with? (or somatic symptoms*)
lack of energy weight loss appetite loss early morning wakening, with diurnal mood variation-worse on a morning fatigue loss of libido psychomotor agitation/retardation
core symptoms of depression?
low mood-continuous for at least 2 weeks
lack of energy
anhedonia-inability to take pleasure in activities previously enjoyed by the pt. ask the pt if they can still enjoy doing things?
definition of mild depression?
2 core symptoms plus 2 others
depressive cognitions?
guilt and self blame
low self esteem
hopelessness
hypochondriacal thoughts
how can the features of depression be distinguished from dementia?
dementia doesn’t cause depressive cognitions
logical errors/cognitive distortions in depressive disorders?
exaggeration-small mistakes and problems are magnified, and so thought of as major failures or issues.
catastrophizing-expecting serious consequences of minor problems
minimization-minimizing or ignoring successes or personal positive qualities
mental filter-dwelling on personal shortcomings or on the unfavourable aspects of a situation while overlooking the favourable parts.
overgeneralizing-thinking that the bad outcome of 1 event will be repeated in every similar event in the future.
what is dysthymia?
formerly depressive personality disorder.
person is persistently gloomy and pessimistic with little capacity for enjoyment. Chronic, constant or fluctuating mild depressive symptoms.
What appearance might you expect a manic patient to have?
dressed up too much for the setting
bright clothes, excessive makeup such as lipstick
restless, up and down?
pressure of speech
definition of moderate depression?
2 core symptoms plus 3-4 others
definition of severe depression?
3 cores symptoms plus at least 4 others
how does hypomania differ from mania?
manic symptoms in hypomania but without significant psychosocial or functional impairment
symptoms for at least 4 days, 1 week in mania
clinical features of mania?
mood: elated, euphoria, irritability or tendency to become angry may be apparent, elation can be interrupted by sudden, brief episodes of depression
appearance: suited to prevailing mood e.g. brightly coloured and ill assorted clothes, may appear tidy and dishevelled in severe disease
behaviour: overactivity, distractability, socially inappropriate behaviour, overfamiliarity, reduced sleep but wakes feeling lively and energetic, may rise early and engage in noisy activity, increased appetite and libido
thinking and speech: flight of ideas, expansive ideas, grandiose delusions, hallucinations-usually consistent with mood and fluctuating in content, pressure of speech
impaired insight
most patients can exert some control over their symptoms for a short time, so severity of disorder may be underestimated when being interviewed as they try to avoid treatment they deem unnecessary, so should try to interview an informant as well as the patient.
what name is given to the rare state a severe manic pt can enter where they become immobile and mute?
manic stupor
what is rapid cycling?
4 or more episodes of mood disorder (depressive, manic, hypomanic or mixed e.g.depressed mood with restlessness and overactivity of manic episode) occur within 1 year.
what name is given if there is more or less an equal mixture of features of mania in bipolar and schizophrenia?
schizoaffective
what endocrine disorder may cause symptoms suggestive of mania?
hyperthyroidism
so should do TFTs and look for physical signs of elevated thyroid hormones e.g. weight loss, heat intolerance, tachycardia
bipolar prevalence?
between 1 and 6 per 1000
how is risk of bipolar and other mood disorders affected by having a 1st degree relative with bipolar?
12% lifetime risk of bipolar
12% lifetime risk of recurrent depressive disorder
12% risk of dysthymic or other mood disorders
how long does each bipolar episode tend to last for?
generally several months, usually 3
what may be responsible for mildly disinhibited behaviour, other than mania?
intoxication with drugs or alcohol
frontal lobe lesion causes e.g. cerebral neoplasm
what events may trigger a manic episode in bipolar?
an operation
physical illness
drug treatment, especially steroids
specific treatments for mania?
antipsychotic-atypical e.g. olanzapine or risperidone, usually 1st choice treatment
lithium-used mainly if milder manic episode, espec. when intention to continue it in the LT to prevent relapse, can also be used in comb with antipsychotics-but caution if alongside haloperidol as EP effects e.g. tardive dyskinesia, occur commonly. effect may take several days to begin.
valproate-effective in acute mania, less effective than antipsychotics but causes less ADRs, so may be more useful if mild manic illness without psychotic features, can give high LD in contrast to lithium, so more rapid response and shorter hospital stay.
carbamazepine
ECT-NOT 1st line
specific tment for acute bipolar depression?
antidepressant e.g. SSRI
antipsychotic e.g. the atypical quetiapine-little risk of inducing manic symptoms, olanzapine may be effective but more so if combined with an SSRI
lithium-less effective than in mania, but sometimes used if less severe but recurring depression when lithium planned for prophylactic use after the acute episode, and may increase dose of lithium tment if already on this and experience a depressive episode
lamotrigine may be effective
ECT if alternatives not effective
CBT and interpersonal psychotherapy
tment of mixed mood episodes?
manic symptoms usually predominate over depressive, so treat as for manic with an antipsychotic alone or in comb with mood stabiliser, or may use mood stabiliser alone
may use an antidepressant if depressive symptoms predominate