Organic psychiatry: variant CJD: practice question

A Psychiatry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Psychiatry · Organic psychiatry: variant CJD

Sample item

A 26-year-old develops depression, painful sensory symptoms, ataxia and then dementia with myoclonus over a year. MRI shows a pulvinar (hockey-stick) sign. The likely diagnosis is

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

D. Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

Variant CJD is linked to bovine spongiform encephalopathy and affects younger patients, starting with psychiatric symptoms and painful sensory symptoms, followed by ataxia and dementia. MRI shows bilateral pulvinar high signal. The EEG often lacks the periodic complexes of sporadic CJD.

Option by option

  • A. Wilson disease

    Wilson disease causes hepatic and extrapyramidal signs with Kayser-Fleischer rings.

  • B. Herpes simplex encephalitis

    Herpes encephalitis is acute with fever and temporal lobe changes.

  • C. Sporadic Alzheimer disease

    Alzheimer disease is unlikely at 26 and does not give this course.

  • D. Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (correct)

    Correct. Young age, psychiatric onset and pulvinar sign indicate vCJD.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Psychiatry question

What is the answer to this Psychiatry question?

The best answer is D, Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Variant CJD is linked to bovine spongiform encephalopathy and affects younger patients, starting with psychiatric symptoms and painful sensory symptoms, followed by ataxia and dementia.

Why is "Wilson disease" not the answer?

Wilson disease causes hepatic and extrapyramidal signs with Kayser-Fleischer rings.

Why is "Herpes simplex encephalitis" not the answer?

Herpes encephalitis is acute with fever and temporal lobe changes.

Why is "Sporadic Alzheimer disease" not the answer?

Alzheimer disease is unlikely at 26 and does not give this course.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Organic psychiatry: variant CJD in Psychiatry. MRI shows bilateral pulvinar high signal. The EEG often lacks the periodic complexes of sporadic CJD.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Organic psychiatry: variant CJD?

Learn each diagnosis by its core features and its first-line treatment. Then use the flashcards and the other Psychiatry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.