Sleep disorders: 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 · Sleep disorders

Sample item

A 19-year-old student repeatedly falls asleep during lectures. When he laughs, his knees buckle without loss of consciousness, and he has vivid hallucinations as he falls asleep. What is the diagnosis?

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. Narcolepsy with cataplexy

Narcolepsy features excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy triggered by emotion, hypnagogic hallucinations and sleep paralysis. It reflects loss of hypocretin (orexin) neurons, and sleep studies show early entry into REM sleep.

Option by option

  • A. Major depression with hypersomnia

    Depression with hypersomnia does not produce cataplexy or hypnagogic hallucinations.

  • B. Absence seizures

    Absence seizures cause brief staring spells, not emotion-triggered loss of tone with preserved awareness.

  • C. Narcolepsy with cataplexy (correct)

    Correct. Emotion-triggered muscle weakness with sleep attacks and hypnagogic hallucinations is classic.

  • D. Obstructive sleep apnoea

    Obstructive sleep apnoea causes snoring, witnessed apnoeas and sleepiness, but not cataplexy.

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 C, Narcolepsy with cataplexy. Narcolepsy features excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy triggered by emotion, hypnagogic hallucinations and sleep paralysis.

Why is "Major depression with hypersomnia" not the answer?

Depression with hypersomnia does not produce cataplexy or hypnagogic hallucinations.

Why is "Absence seizures" not the answer?

Absence seizures cause brief staring spells, not emotion-triggered loss of tone with preserved awareness.

Why is "Obstructive sleep apnoea" not the answer?

Obstructive sleep apnoea causes snoring, witnessed apnoeas and sleepiness, but not cataplexy.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Sleep disorders in Psychiatry. It reflects loss of hypocretin (orexin) neurons, and sleep studies show early entry into REM sleep.

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 Sleep disorders?

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.