Organic mental disorders: Hachinski ischaemic score: 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 mental disorders: Hachinski ischaemic score

Sample item

A bedside scale uses abrupt onset, stepwise deterioration, fluctuating course, history of hypertension, history of strokes and focal neurological signs to help separate two common dementias. A high score favours which diagnosis?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Vascular dementia

The Hachinski ischaemic score gives points for features of cerebrovascular disease such as abrupt onset, stepwise course, hypertension, strokes and focal signs. A score of about 7 or more suggests vascular dementia, and a low score suggests a degenerative dementia such as Alzheimer disease.

Option by option

  • A. Frontotemporal dementia

    Frontotemporal dementia is a degenerative dementia with early personality change and does not score high.

  • B. Vascular dementia (correct)

    Correct. A high score points to vascular dementia.

  • C. Dementia with Lewy bodies

    Dementia with Lewy bodies is a degenerative dementia with fluctuations but not stroke features.

  • D. Alzheimer disease

    Alzheimer disease has an insidious and gradually progressive course, giving a low score.

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 B, Vascular dementia. The Hachinski ischaemic score gives points for features of cerebrovascular disease such as abrupt onset, stepwise course, hypertension, strokes and focal signs.

Why is "Frontotemporal dementia" not the answer?

Frontotemporal dementia is a degenerative dementia with early personality change and does not score high.

Why is "Dementia with Lewy bodies" not the answer?

Dementia with Lewy bodies is a degenerative dementia with fluctuations but not stroke features.

Why is "Alzheimer disease" not the answer?

Alzheimer disease has an insidious and gradually progressive course, giving a low score.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Organic mental disorders: Hachinski ischaemic score in Psychiatry. A score of about 7 or more suggests vascular dementia, and a low score suggests a degenerative dementia such as Alzheimer disease.

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 mental disorders: Hachinski ischaemic score?

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.