Organic psychiatry: Gerstmann syndrome: 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 psychiatry: Gerstmann syndrome

Sample item

A patient after a stroke cannot write, cannot calculate, cannot name his fingers and confuses left with right. The lesion is in the

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. Dominant angular gyrus (parietal lobe)

Gerstmann syndrome comprises agraphia, acalculia, finger agnosia and left-right disorientation, and it arises from a lesion of the dominant angular gyrus in the parietal lobe. Non-dominant parietal lesions cause neglect and constructional apraxia. Occipital lesions cause visual deficits.

Option by option

  • A. Occipital pole

    Occipital lesions cause visual loss or visual agnosia.

  • B. Non-dominant parietal lobe

    Non-dominant parietal lesions cause neglect.

  • C. Hippocampus

    Hippocampal lesions cause amnesia.

  • D. Dominant angular gyrus (parietal lobe) (correct)

    Correct. The tetrad localises to the dominant angular gyrus.

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, Dominant angular gyrus (parietal lobe). Gerstmann syndrome comprises agraphia, acalculia, finger agnosia and left-right disorientation, and it arises from a lesion of the dominant angular gyrus in the parietal lobe.

Why is "Occipital pole" not the answer?

Occipital lesions cause visual loss or visual agnosia.

Why is "Non-dominant parietal lobe" not the answer?

Non-dominant parietal lesions cause neglect.

Why is "Hippocampus" not the answer?

Hippocampal lesions cause amnesia.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Organic psychiatry: Gerstmann syndrome in Psychiatry. Non-dominant parietal lesions cause neglect and constructional apraxia. Occipital lesions cause visual deficits.

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 Organic psychiatry: Gerstmann syndrome?

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.