NU664C: Final Exam Study Guide: Key
Mental Health Concepts Latest
Questions All Solved Graded A+.
What are the subtypes of Depressive Disorders to know? - Answer Persistent (Dysthymia),
Melancholic, Atypical, Psychotic, Postpartum, Childhood Depression.
What characterizes Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia)? - Answer Chronic, low-grade
depression lasting at least 2 years (or 1 year in children) with symptoms like low self-esteem,
poor concentration, fatigue, and hopelessness.
How do the symptoms of Persistent Depressive Disorder compare to Major Depression? -
Answer Symptoms are less severe than major depression but longer-lasting.
What is a common treatment for Persistent Depressive Disorder? - Answer SSRIs and
cognitive-behavioral therapy.
What are the key features of Melancholic Depression? - Answer Profound loss of pleasure
(anhedonia), lack of mood reactivity, early morning awakening, weight loss, and psychomotor
changes.
Who is more likely to experience Melancholic Depression? - Answer Common in older adults
and hospitalized patients.
What treatments are effective for Melancholic Depression? - Answer Medications and
electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).
What distinguishes Atypical Depression from other types? - Answer Mood can improve in
response to positive events, with features like increased appetite, weight gain, excessive sleep,
and heavy limbs.
What demographic is more commonly affected by Atypical Depression? - Answer Younger
individuals and those with bipolar disorder.
What is the treatment for Atypical Depression? - Answer SSRIs or MAOIs.
What defines Psychotic Depression? - Answer Severe depression with delusions or
hallucinations, which can be mood-congruent or mood-incongruent.
,What is the treatment approach for Psychotic Depression? - Answer Combined treatment
with antidepressants and antipsychotics or ECT.
What is Postpartum Depression and when does it onset? - Answer Onset during pregnancy or
within four weeks after delivery, characterized by sadness, anxiety, irritability, and difficulty
bonding with the baby.
How does Postpartum Depression differ from 'baby blues'? - Answer It is more intense and
long-lasting than 'baby blues'.
What are the symptoms of Childhood Depression? - Answer Irritability, academic decline,
withdrawal from peers, somatic complaints, and low self-esteem.
What are common risk factors for Childhood Depression? - Answer Family history and
environmental stressors.
What neurobiological factors are involved in depression? - Answer Dysregulation of
serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine; structural brain changes include decreased
hippocampal volume and hypoactivity in the prefrontal cortex.
What genetic factor is associated with depression? - Answer The serotonin transporter gene
(5-HTTLPR).
What are the side effects of SSRIs? - Answer GI upset, sexual dysfunction, insomnia.
What distinguishes SNRIs from SSRIs? - Answer SNRIs inhibit serotonin and norepinephrine
reuptake and may cause hypertension.
What are examples of atypical antidepressants? - Answer Bupropion (activating, seizure risk)
and mirtazapine (sedating, weight gain).
What treatments are considered for Treatment-Resistant Depression? - Answer
Augmentation with lithium, atypical antipsychotics, or T3; also consider TMS or ECT.
What is ECT and when is it effective? - Answer Effective in severe or treatment-resistant
depression, catatonia, or suicidal ideation; may increase monoamine availability and
neuroplasticity.
What are the key differences between Bipolar Depression and Major Depressive Disorder
(MDD)? - Answer Bipolar depression often presents with hypersomnia, hyperphagia,
, psychomotor retardation, and a family history of bipolar disorder; antidepressant monotherapy
may trigger mania.
How does normal grief differ from Major Depressive Disorder? - Answer Normal grief
includes emotional pain with preserved self-esteem, while MDD includes pervasive anhedonia,
guilt, feelings of worthlessness, and suicidal ideation unrelated to the deceased.
What is the difference between Persistent Depressive Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder?
- Answer Dysthymia involves chronic low mood for 2+ years with intermittent symptoms,
while MDD involves discrete episodes with significant impairment and more acute
symptomatology.
What are the symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)? - Answer Depressed mood,
anhedonia, appetite/sleep changes, psychomotor changes, fatigue, guilt/worthlessness, poor
concentration, suicidal ideation.
What are the symptoms of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder? - Answer Mood lability,
irritability, and depression during the luteal phase.
What are the main features of Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)? - Answer
Severe temper outbursts and chronic irritability in children.
What distinguishes Depression with Psychotic Features? - Answer Presence of mood-
congruent or incongruent delusions/hallucinations.
What is the Kindling Hypothesis in relation to depression? - Answer Each episode of
depression increases vulnerability to future episodes, with neurobiological sensitization to
stressors over time.
What constitutes treatment resistance in depression? - Answer Inadequate response to at
least two antidepressants at adequate dose/duration.
What are some contributing factors to treatment resistance in depression? - Answer Non-
adherence, comorbid anxiety, substance use, personality disorders, and incomplete diagnosis.
What are some strategies for managing treatment-resistant depression? - Answer Medication
switch or augmentation (lithium, atypical antipsychotics, T3), ECT, TMS, and psychotherapy (CBT,
IPT).
What does the STAR*D trial support regarding depression management? - Answer Multi-step
management approach.
Mental Health Concepts Latest
Questions All Solved Graded A+.
What are the subtypes of Depressive Disorders to know? - Answer Persistent (Dysthymia),
Melancholic, Atypical, Psychotic, Postpartum, Childhood Depression.
What characterizes Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia)? - Answer Chronic, low-grade
depression lasting at least 2 years (or 1 year in children) with symptoms like low self-esteem,
poor concentration, fatigue, and hopelessness.
How do the symptoms of Persistent Depressive Disorder compare to Major Depression? -
Answer Symptoms are less severe than major depression but longer-lasting.
What is a common treatment for Persistent Depressive Disorder? - Answer SSRIs and
cognitive-behavioral therapy.
What are the key features of Melancholic Depression? - Answer Profound loss of pleasure
(anhedonia), lack of mood reactivity, early morning awakening, weight loss, and psychomotor
changes.
Who is more likely to experience Melancholic Depression? - Answer Common in older adults
and hospitalized patients.
What treatments are effective for Melancholic Depression? - Answer Medications and
electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).
What distinguishes Atypical Depression from other types? - Answer Mood can improve in
response to positive events, with features like increased appetite, weight gain, excessive sleep,
and heavy limbs.
What demographic is more commonly affected by Atypical Depression? - Answer Younger
individuals and those with bipolar disorder.
What is the treatment for Atypical Depression? - Answer SSRIs or MAOIs.
What defines Psychotic Depression? - Answer Severe depression with delusions or
hallucinations, which can be mood-congruent or mood-incongruent.
,What is the treatment approach for Psychotic Depression? - Answer Combined treatment
with antidepressants and antipsychotics or ECT.
What is Postpartum Depression and when does it onset? - Answer Onset during pregnancy or
within four weeks after delivery, characterized by sadness, anxiety, irritability, and difficulty
bonding with the baby.
How does Postpartum Depression differ from 'baby blues'? - Answer It is more intense and
long-lasting than 'baby blues'.
What are the symptoms of Childhood Depression? - Answer Irritability, academic decline,
withdrawal from peers, somatic complaints, and low self-esteem.
What are common risk factors for Childhood Depression? - Answer Family history and
environmental stressors.
What neurobiological factors are involved in depression? - Answer Dysregulation of
serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine; structural brain changes include decreased
hippocampal volume and hypoactivity in the prefrontal cortex.
What genetic factor is associated with depression? - Answer The serotonin transporter gene
(5-HTTLPR).
What are the side effects of SSRIs? - Answer GI upset, sexual dysfunction, insomnia.
What distinguishes SNRIs from SSRIs? - Answer SNRIs inhibit serotonin and norepinephrine
reuptake and may cause hypertension.
What are examples of atypical antidepressants? - Answer Bupropion (activating, seizure risk)
and mirtazapine (sedating, weight gain).
What treatments are considered for Treatment-Resistant Depression? - Answer
Augmentation with lithium, atypical antipsychotics, or T3; also consider TMS or ECT.
What is ECT and when is it effective? - Answer Effective in severe or treatment-resistant
depression, catatonia, or suicidal ideation; may increase monoamine availability and
neuroplasticity.
What are the key differences between Bipolar Depression and Major Depressive Disorder
(MDD)? - Answer Bipolar depression often presents with hypersomnia, hyperphagia,
, psychomotor retardation, and a family history of bipolar disorder; antidepressant monotherapy
may trigger mania.
How does normal grief differ from Major Depressive Disorder? - Answer Normal grief
includes emotional pain with preserved self-esteem, while MDD includes pervasive anhedonia,
guilt, feelings of worthlessness, and suicidal ideation unrelated to the deceased.
What is the difference between Persistent Depressive Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder?
- Answer Dysthymia involves chronic low mood for 2+ years with intermittent symptoms,
while MDD involves discrete episodes with significant impairment and more acute
symptomatology.
What are the symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)? - Answer Depressed mood,
anhedonia, appetite/sleep changes, psychomotor changes, fatigue, guilt/worthlessness, poor
concentration, suicidal ideation.
What are the symptoms of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder? - Answer Mood lability,
irritability, and depression during the luteal phase.
What are the main features of Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)? - Answer
Severe temper outbursts and chronic irritability in children.
What distinguishes Depression with Psychotic Features? - Answer Presence of mood-
congruent or incongruent delusions/hallucinations.
What is the Kindling Hypothesis in relation to depression? - Answer Each episode of
depression increases vulnerability to future episodes, with neurobiological sensitization to
stressors over time.
What constitutes treatment resistance in depression? - Answer Inadequate response to at
least two antidepressants at adequate dose/duration.
What are some contributing factors to treatment resistance in depression? - Answer Non-
adherence, comorbid anxiety, substance use, personality disorders, and incomplete diagnosis.
What are some strategies for managing treatment-resistant depression? - Answer Medication
switch or augmentation (lithium, atypical antipsychotics, T3), ECT, TMS, and psychotherapy (CBT,
IPT).
What does the STAR*D trial support regarding depression management? - Answer Multi-step
management approach.
