Neurocognitive disorders: delirium: 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 · Neurocognitive disorders: delirium

Sample item

A postoperative older adult becomes disoriented overnight, cannot recite the months backward, and alternates between drowsiness and agitation. Which feature is most central to the diagnosis?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Disturbance of attention with an acute fluctuating course

Delirium is an acute, fluctuating disturbance in attention and awareness due to a medical condition, substance, or multiple causes. Inattention is a core bedside finding.

Option by option

  • A. Persistent elevated mood

    Persistent elevated mood points toward a mood episode rather than delirium.

  • B. Disturbance of attention with an acute fluctuating course (correct)

    Correct. Acute onset, fluctuation, and impaired attention are defining features.

  • C. Fixed false belief lasting years

    A chronic fixed belief describes a delusional condition, not delirium.

  • D. Long-standing loss of social skills

    Long-standing social disinhibition suggests a different neurocognitive syndrome.

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 B, Disturbance of attention with an acute fluctuating course. Delirium is an acute, fluctuating disturbance in attention and awareness due to a medical condition, substance, or multiple causes.

Why is "Persistent elevated mood" not the answer?

Persistent elevated mood points toward a mood episode rather than delirium.

Why is "Fixed false belief lasting years" not the answer?

A chronic fixed belief describes a delusional condition, not delirium.

Why is "Long-standing loss of social skills" not the answer?

Long-standing social disinhibition suggests a different neurocognitive syndrome.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Neurocognitive disorders: delirium in Psychiatry. Inattention is a core bedside finding.

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 Neurocognitive disorders: delirium?

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.