Sexual offences and forensic psychiatry: shared psychotic disorder: practice question

A Forensic Medicine 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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Forensic Medicine · Sexual offences and forensic psychiatry: shared psychotic disorder

Sample item

A woman with paranoid psychosis convinces her dependent husband that neighbours are poisoning them, and he comes to share her delusions. Together they assault a neighbour. What is this condition?

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. Folie a deux

Folie a deux, or shared psychotic disorder, is the transfer of a delusion from a dominant, psychotic person to a close and dependent partner. Treatment includes separation from the inducer.

Option by option

  • A. Folie circulaire

    Folie circulaire is an older term for bipolar illness with alternating mood states.

  • B. Munchausen syndrome

    Munchausen syndrome is fabrication of illness for medical attention.

  • C. Ganser syndrome

    Ganser syndrome is the giving of approximate answers, usually by prisoners.

  • D. Folie a deux (correct)

    Correct. A delusion induced in a dependent close partner is folie a deux.

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 Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is D, Folie a deux. Folie a deux, or shared psychotic disorder, is the transfer of a delusion from a dominant, psychotic person to a close and dependent partner.

Why is "Folie circulaire" not the answer?

Folie circulaire is an older term for bipolar illness with alternating mood states.

Why is "Munchausen syndrome" not the answer?

Munchausen syndrome is fabrication of illness for medical attention.

Why is "Ganser syndrome" not the answer?

Ganser syndrome is the giving of approximate answers, usually by prisoners.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Sexual offences and forensic psychiatry: shared psychotic disorder in Forensic Medicine. Treatment includes separation from the inducer.

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 Sexual offences and forensic psychiatry: shared psychotic disorder?

Learn postmortem changes with their timelines, and toxicology as poison, sign, test and antidote. Then use the flashcards and the other Forensic Medicine 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.