Personality, substance use, and eating disorders: curriculum recognition: 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 · Personality, substance use, and eating disorders: curriculum recognition

Sample item

A chronic drinker, three days after his last drink, is confused and disoriented with vivid visual hallucinations of insects, coarse tremor, fever, sweating and tachycardia. What is the diagnosis?

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. Delirium tremens

Severe alcohol withdrawal with clouded consciousness and autonomic hyperactivity appears 48 to 96 hours after cessation. Alcoholic hallucinosis has clear sensorium. Wernicke and Korsakoff are thiamine deficiency states.

Option by option

  • A. Alcoholic hallucinosis

    Hallucinosis has a clear sensorium without autonomic features.

  • B. Korsakoff syndrome

    Korsakoff gives amnesia with confabulation.

  • C. Wernicke encephalopathy

    Wernicke gives ataxia, ophthalmoplegia and confusion.

  • D. Delirium tremens (correct)

    Correct. Clouded sensorium with autonomic arousal marks severe withdrawal.

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 D, Delirium tremens. Severe alcohol withdrawal with clouded consciousness and autonomic hyperactivity appears 48 to 96 hours after cessation.

Why is "Alcoholic hallucinosis" not the answer?

Hallucinosis has a clear sensorium without autonomic features.

Why is "Korsakoff syndrome" not the answer?

Korsakoff gives amnesia with confabulation.

Why is "Wernicke encephalopathy" not the answer?

Wernicke gives ataxia, ophthalmoplegia and confusion.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Personality, substance use, and eating disorders: curriculum recognition in Psychiatry. Alcoholic hallucinosis has clear sensorium. Wernicke and Korsakoff are thiamine deficiency states.

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 Personality, substance use, and eating disorders: curriculum recognition?

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.