Antidepressants: MAOI interaction: 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 · Antidepressants: MAOI interaction

Sample item

A patient on phenelzine eats mature cheese and develops a severe throbbing headache with blood pressure of 220/120 mm Hg. The cause is:

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. Tyramine-induced noradrenaline release

Non-selective MAOIs block gut and liver MAO-A, so dietary tyramine (cheese, wine, fermented foods) enters circulation and releases noradrenaline, causing a hypertensive crisis. Phentolamine or nifedipine are used as treatment.

Option by option

  • A. Dopamine blockade

    Dopamine blockade is not involved.

  • B. Serotonin excess

    Serotonin excess produces a different clinical picture.

  • C. Histamine release

    Histamine release is not the mechanism.

  • D. Tyramine-induced noradrenaline release (correct)

    Correct. Tyramine releases noradrenaline in the absence of MAO.

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 D, Tyramine-induced noradrenaline release. Non-selective MAOIs block gut and liver MAO-A, so dietary tyramine (cheese, wine, fermented foods) enters circulation and releases noradrenaline, causing a hypertensive crisis.

Why is "Dopamine blockade" not the answer?

Dopamine blockade is not involved.

Why is "Serotonin excess" not the answer?

Serotonin excess produces a different clinical picture.

Why is "Histamine release" not the answer?

Histamine release is not the mechanism.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Antidepressants: MAOI interaction in Psychiatry. Phentolamine or nifedipine are used as treatment.

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 Antidepressants: MAOI interaction?

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.