Mood 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.

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Psychiatry · Mood disorders

Sample item

Which symptom is required for major depressive episode diagnosis?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Depressed mood or loss of interest

A major depressive episode requires depressed mood or anhedonia plus other symptoms causing impairment for at least two weeks.

Option by option

  • A. Depressed mood or loss of interest (correct)

    Correct: low mood or anhedonia is essential.

  • B. One day of worry

    Brief worry alone does not define depression.

  • C. Brief elevated mood

    Elevated mood suggests a bipolar-spectrum state.

  • D. A single panic attack

    Panic attacks belong to anxiety disorders.

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 A, Depressed mood or loss of interest. A major depressive episode requires depressed mood or anhedonia plus other symptoms causing impairment for at least two weeks.

Why is "One day of worry" not the answer?

Brief worry alone does not define depression.

Why is "Brief elevated mood" not the answer?

Elevated mood suggests a bipolar-spectrum state.

Why is "A single panic attack" not the answer?

Panic attacks belong to anxiety disorders.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Mood disorders in Psychiatry. The correct option holds because: Correct: low mood or anhedonia is essential.

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?

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.