Organic mental disorders: uncinate seizures: 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: uncinate seizures

Sample item

A 35-year-old woman has episodes lasting a minute in which she smells burning rubber, then stares, smacks her lips and does not respond. Where is the most likely site of origin?

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. Medial temporal lobe near the uncus and amygdala

A foul olfactory aura followed by impaired awareness and oral automatisms is typical of a mesial temporal focus involving the uncus, which is why these are called uncinate fits. Occipital foci cause visual phenomena and motor cortex foci cause jerking.

Option by option

  • A. Cerebellar vermis

    Cerebellar lesions cause ataxia and do not cause seizures with olfactory aura.

  • B. Occipital cortex

    Occipital seizures cause visual hallucinations or blindness.

  • C. Medial temporal lobe near the uncus and amygdala (correct)

    Correct. Olfactory aura with automatisms localises to the medial temporal region.

  • D. Primary motor cortex

    Motor cortex seizures cause focal clonic jerking with preserved awareness.

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, Medial temporal lobe near the uncus and amygdala. A foul olfactory aura followed by impaired awareness and oral automatisms is typical of a mesial temporal focus involving the uncus, which is why these are called uncinate fits.

Why is "Cerebellar vermis" not the answer?

Cerebellar lesions cause ataxia and do not cause seizures with olfactory aura.

Why is "Occipital cortex" not the answer?

Occipital seizures cause visual hallucinations or blindness.

Why is "Primary motor cortex" not the answer?

Motor cortex seizures cause focal clonic jerking with preserved awareness.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Organic mental disorders: uncinate seizures in Psychiatry. Occipital foci cause visual phenomena and motor cortex foci cause jerking.

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: uncinate seizures?

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.