Thought disorder

Question 1

What does the terms “ideas of reference” mean with regard to schizophrenia?

Answer 1

It is “the notion that everything one perceives in the world relates to one’s own destiny.”

Question 2

What are the most commonly seen symptoms in acute schizophrenia?

Answer 2

Lack of insight (94%)
Auditory hallucinations (74%)
Ideas of reference (70%)

Question 3

What are the 5 characteristic symptoms of schizophrenia as set out in criterion A of the DSM-V?

Answer 3

1. Delusions
2. Hallucinations
3. Disorganized speech
4. Grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior
5. Negative symptoms (i.e., diminished emotional expression or avolition)

Question 4

What are the predominant features of paranoid schizophrenia versus other forms of schizophrenia?

Answer 4

Prominent delusions, usually + hallucinations

Question 5

What are the predominant features of simple schizophrenia versus other forms of schizophrenia?

Answer 5

Negative symptoms, without positive symptoms

Question 6

What is an overvalued idea with reference to psychosis?

Answer 6

A plausible belief that a patient becomes preoccupied with to an unreasonable extent.

Question 7

What are the thought disorders that are common symptoms in the psychotic patient?

Answer 7

Circumstantial speech
Tangential speech
Flights of ideas
Idea crowding
Derailment (Knight's move thinking)
Thought blocking
Neologism
Perseveration
Echolalia
Irrelevant answers

Question 8

What is circumstantial speech/thinking (one of the thought disorders of psychosis and mania)?

Answer 8

Speech or thought that is delayed in reaching its final goal because of the over inclusion of detail and diversions.

Question 9

What is tangential speech/thinking (one of the thought disorders of psychosis and mania)?

Answer 9

Speech or thought that never reaches its destination as the speaker diverts from the original train of thought and never ends up returning to the original point. This is more psychopathological than circumstantial speech which is often found in normal individuals.

Question 10

What is flight of ideas (one of the thought disorders of psychosis and mania)?

Answer 10

This is markedly accelerated thinking resulting in a stream of connected concepts. In schizophrenia the link between the different ideas become incoherent.

Question 11

What is loosening of association (derailment/knight’s move thinking)?

Answer 11

This is when a patient’s train of thought shifts suddenly from one very loosely or unrelated idea to the next.

Question 12

What is thought blocking (one of the thought disorders of psychosis)?

Answer 12

The patient experiences a sudden cessation to their flow of thought, often in mid sentence (observed as sudden breaks in speech)

Question 13

What is neologisms and idiosyncratic word use (thought disorders of psychosis)?

Answer 13

Neologisms are new words created by the patient that have no meaning to anyone else.
Idiosyncratic word use is using words in the wrong context.

Question 14

What is perseveration (one of the thought disorders of psychosis)?

Answer 14

The patient repeats the initially correct response to a question, either as an answer to the next question or without prompting.

Question 15

What is echolalia (one of the thought disorders of psychosis)?

Answer 15

This is when the patient senselessly repeat words or phrases spoken around them by others. This can land the patient in trouble if they echo someone who is unaware of their condition.