Psychiatry - Pathology Part 1 Flashcards
What are the seven effects of long-term affection deprivation on infants?
Decreased muscle tone, poor language skills, poor socialization skills, lack of basic trust, anaclitic depression, weight loss, and physical illness
True or False? Severe long-term affection deprivation can result in infant death.
True
What are the “four W’s” that result from long-term affection deprivation of infants?
Weakness, Wordlessness, Wanting (social), and Wariness
In cases of physical abuse in children, is the abuser most frequently female or male?
Female
True or False? In cases of physical abuse in children, the abuser is usually the primary caregiver.
True
In cases of sexual abuse in children, is the abuser more frequently male or female?
Male
True or False? In cases of sexual abuse in children, the abuser is usually a stranger to the victim.
False; the abuser is usually known to the victim
Approximately how many deaths per year result from the physical abuse of children in the United States?
Approximately 3000
The peak incidence of sexual abuse in children occurs in what age range?
9 to 12 years
A diagnosis of a sexually transmitted disease in a young child may be evidence of what?
Child abuse
A young girl with a history of urinary tract infections presents with multiple bruises and decreased vision in the right eye; ophthalmic evaluation revealed retinal detachment; imaging studies revealed healed fractures and subdural hematoma; these findings may be evidence of which condition?
Child abuse
Name the most common form of child maltreatment.
Child neglect
True or False? Child abuse must be reported to local child protective services but child neglect does not.
False; both must be reported to local child protective services
Child neglect is characterized by failure to provide what support for the child?
Adequate food, shelter, supervision, education, affection
What signs and symptoms can be indicative of child neglect?
Withdrawal, malnutrition, poor hygiene, failure to thrive
What is anaclitic depression?
Depression in an infant as a result of continued separation from the caregiver
What is a major consequence of anaclitic depression in infants?
Failure to thrive or other developmental disturbances
What is the response of an infant with anaclitic depression to human contact?
Infants can become withdrawn and unresponsive to people when suffering from anaclitic depression
Name four stressors that can lead to regression in children.
Physical illness, punishment, birth of a new sibling, or fatigue
Bedwetting in a previously toilet-trained child during hospitalization is an example of what type of behavior?
Regression as a result of a stressor
What psychiatric disorder is characterized by poor impulse control and an inability to pay attention?
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
What is the average intelligent quotient of a child with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder?
Patients with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder have a normal intelligence quotient
Which drugs are used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder?
Methylphenidate (Ritalin), amphetamines, atomoxetine
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder is characterized by what three traits?
Hyperactivity, motor impairment, emotional lability
What brain region has been found to be smaller in patients with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder?
Frontal lobe
True or False? Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder is exclusively a disorder of childhood.
False, as many as 50% of children will carry the disorder into adulthood
A mother brings her nine-year-old son in for evaluation for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder because his teacher has noticed distractibility, restlessness, and inattention at school, which has never been present before now. Does her child have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder?
No, the onset of symptoms must begin before 7 years of age
An 14-year-old boy is brought to the clinic after he set the neighbor’s cat on fire; this patient has many arrests and school expulsions in his background; what is the most likely diagnosis?
Conduct disorder
After reaching the age of 18 years, patients with conduct disorder are commonly rediagnosed with what psychiatric diagnosis?
Antisocial personality disorder
A boy has been defying authority; he commonly makes rude remarks to his parents, teachers, and other adults; he has no history of violence toward people or animals; what is the most likely diagnosis?
Oppositional defiant disorder
What differentiates conduct disorder from oppositional defiant disorder?
Criminal behavior; children with oppositional defiant disorder are noncompliant but stop short of criminal acts whereas conduct disorder is characterized by behaviors that include criminal acts
A 10-year-old boy has multiple tics, makes random grunting sounds, and often has involuntary outbursts of profanity; what is the most likely diagnosis?
Tourette’s syndrome
What is the age of onset for Tourette’s syndrome?
Younger than 18 years of age
What psychiatric disorder has higher prevalence in patients with Tourette’s syndrome?
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
What class of medications is used to treat Tourette’s syndrome?
Antipsychotics such as haloperidol
How long do Tourette’s symptoms need to be present to qualify a patient for the diagnosis?
More than one year
What differentiates conduct disorder from antisocial personality disorder?
Age; conduct disorder is seen in patients younger than 18 years of age, whereas antisocial personality is a diagnosis of patients older than 18 years of age
A 7-year-old girl presents to the clinic with a stomach ache; she sometimes vomits to avoid going to school out of fear that her parents might not be home at the end of the day; what is the most likely diagnosis?
Separation anxiety disorder
What is the common age of onset for separation anxiety disorder?
7-8 years of age
Describe the symptoms of autistic disorder.
Severe language impairment, social deficits, and usually a low intelligence quotient
What are the treatment goals for patients with autism?
Behavioral and supportive therapy to improve communication and social interactions
What is the name given to an autistic child with an unusual specialized ability?
Savant
A four-year-old patient presents for poor school performance. When the physician enters the room, the patient is spinning the wheels of a toy truck and flapping his arms. He does not make eye contact with his mother or the physician, nor does he look at the physician when his name is called. What is a likely diagnosis?
Autistic disorder
What differentiates Asperger’s disorder and autism?
Children with Asperger’s are of normal intelligence and lack verbal or cognitive deficits
In contrast to patients with Asperger’s disorder, patients with autism have _____ (normal/below-average) _____ intelligence and _____ (more/less) severe deficits in social skills and communication.
Below-average; more
True or False? Individuals with autism express repetitive movement, but individuals with Asperger’s disorder do not.
False; both disorders are characterized by repetitive movements
What are the major issues in a patient with Asperger syndrome?
Difficulty forming relationships and all-consuming interests, although patients have normal intelligence and verbal skills
Describe Rett’s disorder.
Patients exhibit normal development until approximately age 4 years and then regress (loss of development, mental retardation, loss of verbal skills, ataxia, and stereotyped hand-wringing)
Why is Rett’s disorder seen almost exclusively in females?
Affected males generally die in utero or shortly after birth
What is the mode of inheritance of Rett’s disorder?
X-linked recessive
What is childhood disintegrative disorder?
Regression after at least 2 years of apparently normal development
A 5-year-old girl has lost receptive and expressive language skills, social skills, motor skills, and bowel and bladder control over the past two years. What is the most likely diagnosis?
Childhood disintegrative disorder
What is the typical age of onset of childhood disintegrative disorder?
Between 3 and 4 years of age
True or False? Childhood disintegrative disorder is exclusively found in girls.
False; Rett’s disorder is exclusively found in girls. Childhood disintegrative disorder is more prevalent in boys
What psychiatric disorder is characterized by increased norepinephrine levels and decreased γ-aminobutyric acid and 5-hydroxytryptamine levels?
Anxiety disorder
While Parkinson’s disease is marked by _____ (decreased/increased) levels of dopamine, the levels of dopamine in schizophrenia are _____ (decreased/increased).
Decreased; increased
While anxiety is marked by _____ (decreased/increased) levels of norepinephrine, the levels of norepinephrine in depression are _____ (decreased/increased).
Increased; decreased
What neurotransmitter level abnormalities are seen in anxiety disorder?
Elevated norepinephrine, low γ-aminobutyric acid, and low 5-hydroxytryptamine levels
What neurotransmitter abnormalities are seen in Huntington’s disease?
Decreased γ-aminobutyric acid and acetylcholine levels
What neurotransmitter abnormalities are seen in schizophrenia?
Increased dopamine levels
What neurotransmitter abnormalities are seen in depression?
Decreased norepinephrine, dopamine, and 5-hydroxytryptamine levels
What neurotransmitter abnormalities are seen in Parkisnon’s disease?
Decreased dopamine and increased acetylcholine levels
Name six common causes of delirium (or loss of orientation).
Alcohol, drugs, fluid/electrolyte imbalance, head trauma, hypoglycemia, nutritional deficiencies
List the order in which a person loses his or her orientation.
The patient will become disoriented to time, place, then person