Mood disorders: melancholia: 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: melancholia

Sample item

A depressed patient wakes at 3 am, feels worst in the morning, has marked weight loss and psychomotor retardation, and shows no mood reactivity. This pattern is:

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Melancholic features

Melancholic features include loss of pleasure, lack of mood reactivity, early morning awakening, diurnal variation (worse in the morning), psychomotor change, weight loss and excessive guilt. It responds well to ECT and antidepressants.

Option by option

  • A. Melancholic features (correct)

    Correct. Diurnal variation with early waking and no reactivity is melancholia.

  • B. Seasonal pattern

    Seasonal pattern refers to timing of episodes in the year.

  • C. Atypical features

    Atypical features are the reverse, with reactive mood and increased sleep and appetite.

  • D. Catatonia

    Catatonia involves stupor, posturing or negativism.

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 A, Melancholic features. Melancholic features include loss of pleasure, lack of mood reactivity, early morning awakening, diurnal variation (worse in the morning), psychomotor change, weight loss and excessive guilt.

Why is "Seasonal pattern" not the answer?

Seasonal pattern refers to timing of episodes in the year.

Why is "Atypical features" not the answer?

Atypical features are the reverse, with reactive mood and increased sleep and appetite.

Why is "Catatonia" not the answer?

Catatonia involves stupor, posturing or negativism.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Mood disorders: melancholia in Psychiatry. It responds well to ECT and antidepressants.

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: melancholia?

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.