Mood disorders: antidepressants in young patients: 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 · Mood disorders: antidepressants in young patients

Sample item

When an SSRI is started for depression, which group needs particularly close monitoring in the first weeks for emerging suicidal thoughts?

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. Children, adolescents and young adults

Antidepressants carry a warning of increased suicidal ideation and behaviour in children, adolescents and young adults, mostly in the early weeks of treatment or after a dose change. Risk of this kind has not been shown in older adults.

Option by option

  • A. Patients with comorbid hypothyroidism

    Hypothyroidism is a cause of depression but not a marker for this effect.

  • B. Postmenopausal women

    Menopausal status is not a recognised risk marker for this effect.

  • C. Children, adolescents and young adults (correct)

    Correct. Youth under about 25 years are the group in whom treatment-emergent suicidality is a recognised concern.

  • D. Patients above 65 years

    Older adults do not show an increased risk of this kind with antidepressants.

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 C, Children, adolescents and young adults. Antidepressants carry a warning of increased suicidal ideation and behaviour in children, adolescents and young adults, mostly in the early weeks of treatment or after a dose change.

Why is "Patients with comorbid hypothyroidism" not the answer?

Hypothyroidism is a cause of depression but not a marker for this effect.

Why is "Postmenopausal women" not the answer?

Menopausal status is not a recognised risk marker for this effect.

Why is "Patients above 65 years" not the answer?

Older adults do not show an increased risk of this kind with antidepressants.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Mood disorders: antidepressants in young patients in Psychiatry. Risk of this kind has not been shown in older adults.

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 Mood disorders: antidepressants in young patients?

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.