Organic mental disorders: olfactory groove meningioma: 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 mental disorders: olfactory groove meningioma

Sample item

A 55-year-old woman has several months of apathy, disinhibited remarks and loss of the sense of smell. Fundoscopy shows optic atrophy in the right eye and papilloedema in the left. What is the most likely cause?

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. Olfactory groove meningioma

A mass in the anterior cranial fossa compresses the frontal lobes and olfactory tracts, producing personality change and anosmia. The Foster Kennedy syndrome of ipsilateral optic atrophy with contralateral papilloedema often accompanies it.

Option by option

  • A. Vestibular schwannoma

    A vestibular schwannoma causes hearing loss, tinnitus and facial numbness.

  • B. Pituitary adenoma

    A pituitary adenoma causes bitemporal hemianopia and endocrine disturbance.

  • C. Olfactory groove meningioma (correct)

    Correct. Anosmia, frontal lobe change and Foster Kennedy fundus findings fit an olfactory groove lesion.

  • D. Craniopharyngioma

    A craniopharyngioma causes visual field loss and hypopituitarism in the sellar region.

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, Olfactory groove meningioma. A mass in the anterior cranial fossa compresses the frontal lobes and olfactory tracts, producing personality change and anosmia.

Why is "Vestibular schwannoma" not the answer?

A vestibular schwannoma causes hearing loss, tinnitus and facial numbness.

Why is "Pituitary adenoma" not the answer?

A pituitary adenoma causes bitemporal hemianopia and endocrine disturbance.

Why is "Craniopharyngioma" not the answer?

A craniopharyngioma causes visual field loss and hypopituitarism in the sellar region.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Organic mental disorders: olfactory groove meningioma in Psychiatry. The Foster Kennedy syndrome of ipsilateral optic atrophy with contralateral papilloedema often accompanies it.

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 mental disorders: olfactory groove meningioma?

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.