Organic psychiatry: right parietal lesion: 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.

Try it

Psychiatry · Organic psychiatry: right parietal lesion

Sample item

A man after a right middle cerebral artery stroke ignores the left side of his body, shaves only the right half of his face and denies that his left arm is paralysed. These are

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. Hemispatial neglect and anosognosia

Right (non-dominant) parietal lesions cause contralateral hemispatial neglect, anosognosia (denial of deficit) and constructional apraxia. Gerstmann syndrome follows dominant parietal damage. The patient has no insight into the deficit.

Option by option

  • A. Alien hand sign

    Alien hand sign is a callosal or frontal phenomenon in which a hand acts independently.

  • B. Gerstmann syndrome

    Gerstmann syndrome arises from the dominant hemisphere.

  • C. Hemispatial neglect and anosognosia (correct)

    Correct. Neglect and denial of paralysis follow right parietal damage.

  • D. Balint syndrome

    Balint syndrome involves bilateral parieto-occipital damage with simultanagnosia and optic ataxia.

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.

More Psychiatry questions

Questions about this Psychiatry question

What is the answer to this Psychiatry question?

The best answer is C, Hemispatial neglect and anosognosia. Right (non-dominant) parietal lesions cause contralateral hemispatial neglect, anosognosia (denial of deficit) and constructional apraxia.

Why is "Alien hand sign" not the answer?

Alien hand sign is a callosal or frontal phenomenon in which a hand acts independently.

Why is "Gerstmann syndrome" not the answer?

Gerstmann syndrome arises from the dominant hemisphere.

Why is "Balint syndrome" not the answer?

Balint syndrome involves bilateral parieto-occipital damage with simultanagnosia and optic ataxia.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Organic psychiatry: right parietal lesion in Psychiatry. Gerstmann syndrome follows dominant parietal damage. The patient has no insight into the deficit.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. 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: right parietal lesion?

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.