Child and adolescent psychiatry: drug treatment of adolescent depression: 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 · Child and adolescent psychiatry: drug treatment of adolescent depression

Sample item

A 15-year-old with moderate to severe depression has not improved after several weeks of psychotherapy. Which antidepressant is the usual first choice?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Fluoxetine

Fluoxetine has the best evidence of efficacy and safety in adolescent depression and is the usual first drug, combined with psychotherapy. Tricyclics are ineffective in this age group.

Option by option

  • A. Fluoxetine (correct)

    Correct. Fluoxetine is the best-supported antidepressant in adolescents.

  • B. Venlafaxine

    Venlafaxine has not shown efficacy in adolescents and has more side effects.

  • C. Amitriptyline

    Tricyclics have not shown efficacy in adolescent depression and are dangerous in overdose.

  • D. Paroxetine

    Paroxetine has not shown efficacy in adolescents.

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 A, Fluoxetine. Fluoxetine has the best evidence of efficacy and safety in adolescent depression and is the usual first drug, combined with psychotherapy.

Why is "Venlafaxine" not the answer?

Venlafaxine has not shown efficacy in adolescents and has more side effects.

Why is "Amitriptyline" not the answer?

Tricyclics have not shown efficacy in adolescent depression and are dangerous in overdose.

Why is "Paroxetine" not the answer?

Paroxetine has not shown efficacy in adolescents.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Child and adolescent psychiatry: drug treatment of adolescent depression in Psychiatry. Tricyclics are ineffective in this age group.

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 Child and adolescent psychiatry: drug treatment of adolescent depression?

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.