Anxiety and related disorders: organic cause of anxiety: 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 · Anxiety and related disorders: organic cause of anxiety

Sample item

A 32-year-old woman has anxiety, palpitations, heat intolerance, weight loss despite good appetite and a fine tremor. Which first investigation is most useful before labelling her as having generalised anxiety disorder?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Serum TSH

Hyperthyroidism commonly mimics anxiety, with tremor, heat intolerance and weight loss pointing to it. A suppressed TSH with raised thyroid hormones would confirm it, and anxiety should be diagnosed only after medical causes are excluded.

Option by option

  • A. Fasting lipid profile

    A lipid profile does not explain these symptoms.

  • B. Serum TSH (correct)

    Correct. TSH screens for hyperthyroidism, the most likely medical mimic here.

  • C. Chest radiograph

    A chest radiograph is not a first investigation for these symptoms.

  • D. Serum vitamin B12

    Low B12 causes neuropsychiatric and haematological problems, not this hypermetabolic picture.

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 B, Serum TSH. Hyperthyroidism commonly mimics anxiety, with tremor, heat intolerance and weight loss pointing to it.

Why is "Fasting lipid profile" not the answer?

A lipid profile does not explain these symptoms.

Why is "Chest radiograph" not the answer?

A chest radiograph is not a first investigation for these symptoms.

Why is "Serum vitamin B12" not the answer?

Low B12 causes neuropsychiatric and haematological problems, not this hypermetabolic picture.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Anxiety and related disorders: organic cause of anxiety in Psychiatry. A suppressed TSH with raised thyroid hormones would confirm it, and anxiety should be diagnosed only after medical causes are excluded.

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 Anxiety and related disorders: organic cause of anxiety?

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.