Deck 15: Neurocognitive Disorders

Question 1

Ms.Martin,an 89-year-old hospital inpatient,has had six room changes in the last two weeks.Considering the results of research into the effects of environmental factors on the cognitive functioning of the hospitalized elderly,what disorder would Ms.Martin likely begin to demonstrate?

A) delirium
B) amnestic disorder
C) neurocognitive disorder
D) Alzheimer's disease

Answer 1

delirium

Question 2

Why are cognitive disorders included in a textbook on abnormal psychology?

A) because they are statistically rare
B) because they all represent some form of brain dysfunction
C) because they often include profound changes in behaviour and personality
D) because they used to be considered forms of insanity

Answer 2

because they often include profound changes in behaviour and personality

Question 3

How does delirium differ from neurocognitive disorder?

A) People with delirium are not disoriented or confused in the early stages; people with neurocognitive disorder are.
B) Neurocognitive disorder comes on more suddenly than does delirium.
C) Delirium is reversible, whereas neurocognitive disorder is not.
D) People with neurocognitive disorder are not disoriented or confused in the early stages; people with delirium are.

Answer 3

People with neurocognitive disorder are not disoriented or confused in the early stages; people with delirium are.

Question 4

What does an episode of delirium often indicate?

A) the presence of a medical condition that is causing the brain to dysfunction
B) that the individual is about to experience a progressive decline in cognitive functioning
C) that the individual is suffering from another psychological disorder
D) a significant chance of death within the next eight years

Question 5

What is one major difference between neurocognitive disorder caused by Alzheimer's disease and neurocognitive disorder caused by depression?

A) Neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease is generally reversible.
B) Neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease leads to a rapid decline in abilities.
C) Neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease involves a slow increase in symptoms.
D) Neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease is not reversible.

Question 6

Karl is in the hospital for delirium.What can Karl's family do to help his recovery?

A) exclude Karl from any medical decision to avoid increased anxiety
B) reassure Karl and surround him with familiar belongings
C) move Karl to a new hospital room to increase cognitive activity
D) restrain Karl to prevent self-harm and allow the delirium to wear off

Question 7

What is one of the distinguishing characteristics between disability due to cognitive functions and disability due to psychological conditions?

A) There is a much greater genetic contribution to disability due to cognitive functions than there is for disability due to psychological conditions.
B) Disability due to cognitive functions is more frequent after age 65; disability due to psychological conditions is less frequent after age 65.
C) Disability due to psychological conditions is more frequent after age 65; disability due to cognitive functions is less frequent after age 65.
D) Disability due to cognitive functions is mostly organic in origin; disability due to psychological conditions is mostly psychosocial in origin.

Question 8

Paul's father has delirium.Paul has two choices,admit his father to the hospital or try to wait out the delirium at home.Which option should Paul choose and why?

A) the hospital option because in hospital recovery is associated with better long-term outcomes
B) the hospital option to help reduce the risk of self-harm by the patient
C) at home because the risk of developing other neurocognitive problems during a hospital stay is too high
D) at home because all Paul's father needs is rest

Question 9

Why is the term "organic mental disorder" no longer used to describe cognitive disorders?

A) because the term implies that there is no effective treatment
B) because cognitive disorders are actually thought disorders
C) because research has found that most psychological disorders have an "organic" component
D) because the term implies that there are no psychosocial influences on their onset and course

Question 10

What causes most cognitive disorders?

A) prescription drug interactions
B) brain dysfunction
C) a frontal lobe head injury
D) the normal process of aging

Question 11

Compared to younger people,what are those over age 65 more likely to experience difficulty with?

A) speech
B) anxiety
C) psychological difficulties
D) emotional affect

Question 12

Which of following is NOT a common cause of delirium?

A) dietary factors
B) medical conditions
C) intoxication by drugs
D) head trauma

Question 13

Ted has been admitted to the hospital with delirium.Ted's doctor thinks the delirium was caused by a medication Ted takes.Ted takes several medications,which ones is the doctor probably most concerned about?

A) those with neuroleptic effects
B) those with cholinergic effects
C) those with extra-pyramidal effects
D) those with anticholinergic effects

Question 14

Helen has had impaired consciousness over the last two days.She had not had symptoms of illness before this.What condition does Helen most likely have?

A) neurocognitive disorder
B) Alzheimer's disease
C) delirium
D) amnestic disorder

Question 15

Jim is being treated for delirium in the hospital.The doctor asks Jim's son how the symptoms developed.What will Jim's son say?

A) "The symptoms came on gradually over the past two weeks."
B) "The symptoms came on gradually over the last two months."
C) "The symptoms came on quickly over the last few days."
D) "The symptoms came on very slowly, over the course of several years."

Question 16

Mr.Smith (age 72)is brought to the hospital emergency room.His son explains that his father woke up this morning and was "not himself." Mr.Smith was confused,agitated,and a bit frightened.He did not know his own name and could not recognize his son.His son reports that he had been completely fine,with no symptoms,prior to that morning.What does Mr.Smith appear to be suffering from?

A) amnestic disorder
B) delirium
C) neurocognitive disorder
D) Alzheimer's disease

Question 17

Which of the following factors can trigger delirium?

A) food deprivation
B) excessive stress
C) cardiovascular difficulties
D) isolation

Question 18

Serge has been admitted to the hospital with delirium brought on by withdrawal from alcohol.What medication will his doctor likely prescribe to help treat the delirium?

A) an antibiotic medication
B) an antidepressant medication
C) a benzodiazepine medication
D) an antipsychotic medication

Question 19

Alice is being discharged from the hospital after being treated for delirium.How long did it take to treat her symptoms?

A) probably about a day
B) probably about a week
C) probably about a month
D) probably about six weeks

Question 20

When do most instances of delirium,neurocognitive disorder,and amnestic disorders develop?

A) following brainstem injuries that occur with equal frequency at all ages
B) in late adulthood when cognition is not functioning normally
C) in late adulthood as part of the normal aging process
D) following complications at birth

Question 21

Dr.Farber published a journal article about the first symptom reported by people who are in the initial stages of neurocognitive disorder.What was the topic of the paper?

A) facial recognition
B) disorientation
C) loss of memory for how to do things
D) loss of memory for recent events

Question 22

Barrie has neurocognitive disorder.What is the MOST likely cause of this disorder?

A) Alzheimer's disease
B) syphilis
C) improper use of prescription drugs
D) a history of substance abuse

Question 23

What is the predominant cognitive deficit displayed by individuals with Alzheimer's disease?

A) facial agnosia
B) memory impairment
C) aphasia
D) apraxia

Question 24

In addition to its use in detecting neurocognitive disorder and Alzheimer's disease,what can the Clock Test be useful for?

A) identifying the specific form of neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease
B) identifying which elderly individuals will develop neurocognitive disorder in the future
C) identifying family members who may be carrying the gene for Alzheimer's disease
D) assessing the levels of cognitive functioning associated with various areas of the brain

Question 25

How do the symptoms of neurocognitive disorder differ from those of delirium?

A) The initial symptoms of neurocognitive disorder are generally more severe than the symptoms of delirium.
B) The symptoms of neurocognitive disorder involve memory, while the symptoms of delirium are more likely to involve expressive language.
C) Neurocognitive disorder symptoms develop from underlying medical conditions, while delirium symptoms are a result of other factors.
D) Neurocognitive disorder symptoms develop slowly over time, while delirium symptoms develop quickly.

Question 26

What causes the delusions,depression,agitation,aggression,and apathy that often occur with neurocognitive disorder?

A) the frustration and fear experienced by patients as they lose their cognitive abilities
B) the progressive deterioration of brain functioning
C) medication side effects
D) either the progressive brain deterioration of the disorder or the frustration experienced by patients

Question 27

Dr.Lloyd is certain that one of his patients had Alzheimer's disease. How can he be certain?

A) His family members report all the symptoms.
B) The mental status exam indicated Alzheimer's disease.
C) Psychological testing indicated Alzheimer's disease.
D) An autopsy indicated Alzheimer's disease.

Question 28

What were major and minor neurocognitive disorders called in the DSM-IV-R?

A) Alzheimer's disease
B) delirium
C) axon-depleting cytosis
D) dementia

Question 29

If you had 100 Canadians over the age of 65,how many would have neurocognitive disorder?

A) 3
B) 8
C) 10
D) 20

Question 30

Dr.Thomas tell Gary's family he is fairly certain that Gary has neurocognitive disorder.Gary's family asks Dr.Thomas how he came to his conclusion.What does Dr.Thomas say?

A) "I ruled out alternative explanations for his symptoms."
B) "I looked at the results of a functional brain scan."
C) "I reviewed psychological and neurological test results."
D) "I looked at the results from an MRI."

Question 31

What is one possible reason women have a higher prevalence rate for Alzheimer's disease than men do?

A) Women lack amyloid proteins.
B) Women lack testosterone.
C) Women are given estrogen replacement.
D) Women do not seek treatment.

Question 32

Although the sample size is small,the results of a study (Massie et al.,1996)that looked at the writings of a group of Catholic nuns suggest that the development of neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease might be predicted in early life by analyzing an individual's writing.What aspect of the writing is analyzed?

A) emotional tone
B) idea density
C) word usage
D) errors

Question 33

After turning 50,Sabrina began to be teased a lot from her family about being "absentminded." In truth,she has been hiding the fact that each week she seems to remember less and less.Last month,she got lost while driving home from work and had relied on a hand-drawn map.Sabrina also has trouble recognizing the faces of people she knows and forgets why she started to do something.What disorder does Sabrina appear to be developing?

A) amnestic disorder
B) delirium
C) neurocognitive disorder
D) Alzheimer's disease

Question 34

How is neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease best characterized?

A) by a few severe cognitive deficits that develop quickly
B) by a few severe cognitive deficits that develop gradually and steadily
C) by multiple cognitive deficits that develop gradually and steadily
D) by multiple cognitive deficits that develop quickly

Question 35

If you had 100 Canadians over the age of 85,how many would have neurocognitive disorder?

A) 5
B) 10
C) 20
D) 30

Question 36

If the findings from the study regarding the writings of a group of Catholic nuns (Massie et al.,1996)are correct,which of the following individuals is most likely to eventually develop neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease?

A) Mary, whose writing has many religious themes
B) Cashmira, whose writing is mostly about animals
C) Marius, whose writing is very descriptive and a bit bizarre
D) Lisa, whose writing describes events in very brief terms

Question 37

What is the outcome for patients with neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease?

A) variable depending on the individual response to treatment
B) stabilization at some level of greatly reduced cognitive ability
C) slow recovery
D) death

Question 38

One test that is often used to help detect neurocognitive disorder and Alzheimer's disease asks the patient to complete a test involving a clock.What might a patient be asked to do?
A.m. and 8:30 p.m.

A) Tell the time as well as the date and year.
B) Explain the difference between 8:30
C) Make up a story about the clock being in someone's home.
D) Put the numbers on the clock and place the clock's hands in the position to show the time as 11:10.

Question 39

Ivan is suffering from "agnosia." What task will Ivan NOT be able to do?

A) recognize and name objects
B) process incoming sensory information
C) produce or understand language
D) find his way around in familiar surroundings

Question 40

How does death ultimately occur in victims of neurocognitive disorder?

A) as the result of inactivity combined with the onset of other illnesses such as pneumonia
B) as the result of interactions between and complications from medications used to treat the disorder
C) as the result of ever-decreasing levels of neurotransmitter activity
D) as the result of an ever-increasing loss of brain mass

Question 41

Why are the symptoms of vascular neurocognitive disorder so different in each patient?

A) The symptoms relate to the patient's individual biochemical processes.
B) The symptoms relate to the area of the brain damaged.
C) The symptoms relate to the vascular health.
D) The symptoms depend upon the person's other medical conditions.

Question 42

What is the biological version of the theory that states that formal education helps insulate people from the effects of neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease?

A) cortical activity theory
B) cerebral reserve hypothesis
C) neuronal network theory
D) mind-body hypothesis

Question 43

What is the approximate average survival time of a patient diagnosed with neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease?

A) 4 years
B) 8 years
C) 15 years
D) 20 years

Question 44

Mary is caring for her father who has advanced Alzheimer's disease.Mary comments to her sister Julie on the phone that she has to go,it's "that time of day," implying that her father's cognitive disturbance is particularly severe at the moment.What time of day is it?

A) morning
B) early afternoon
C) evening
D) the middle of the night

Question 45

A program coordinator is trying to estimate how many of the ten neurocognitive patients in her day group have Alzheimer's.How many can she estimate will be found to have Alzheimer's?

A) one
B) three
C) five
D) seven

Question 46

Shizana is showing early signs of neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease.Her family asks her doctor how the disease will likely progress.What will the doctor say about the typical progression of the disease?

A) It is rapid during the early and late stages and slow during the middle stages.
B) It is slow during the early stages and late stages and rapid during the middle stages.
C) It is slow and progressive throughout the individual's life.
D) It is slow in the early stages and rapid during the late stages.

Question 47

What causes the differing patterns of impairment associated with neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease and HIV-caused neurocognitive disorder?

A) the viral origins of HIV
B) unexplained causes
C) the different areas of the brain affected
D) the immune response to the virus in HIV patients

Question 48

How are the different types of neurocognitive disorder identified?

A) Vascular neurocognitive disorder has a more rapid onset and patients suffer a much more rapid demise than with the other forms of neurocognitive disorder.
B) Vascular neurocognitive disorder has a more rapid onset than neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease, although the course and outcome are similar.
C) Vascular neurocognitive disorder has a much slower onset than neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease, but patients suffer a much more rapid demise than with the other forms of neurocognitive disorder.
D) Vascular neurocognitive disorder has a more rapid onset and results in fewer deficits than neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease.

Question 49

Sixty-year-old Fred has the typical early symptoms of neurocognitive disorder.What does the fact that he has abnormalities in walking and weakness in his limbs suggest?

A) His neurocognitive disorder is caused by a vascular neurocognitive disorder.
B) His neurocognitive disorder is influenced by a medication.
C) His neurocognitive disorder is due to multiple influences.
D) His neurocognitive disorder is caused by Alzheimer's disease.

Question 50

What gender is at greater risk of developing vascular neurocognitive disorder?

A) It is greater for women than men.
B) It is equal for men and women.
C) It is greater for men in Western cultures, but equal for men and women in other cultures.
D) It is greater for men than women.

Question 51

How does the rate of neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease differ when comparing different demographic groups?

A) No differences in the rate of the disorder by race or gender have been noted.
B) Males and certain racial groups appear to have lower rates of the disorder.
C) No differences are found in the rate of neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease by race, but women appear to have a slightly higher rate of the disorder than men.
D) No differences are found in the rate of neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease by gender, but some racial differences have been noted.

Question 52

Bill has HIV and has developed a neurocognitive disorder.What part of Bill's brain is likely the source of Bill's neurocognitive problems?

A) the cortex
B) the hindbrain
C) the brain stem
D) the subcortex

Question 53

Which of the following hypotheses explains the observed differences in the rate of neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease for individuals of varying educational levels?

A) The abilities acquired through formal education help compensate for some of the deficits of the disorder for a longer period.
B) Higher levels of formal education are associated with higher levels of income and better access to quality health care.
C) Higher levels of formal education are associated with lifestyles that include improved diet and higher levels of regular exercise.
D) Occupations associated with lower as compared to higher levels of formal education expose individuals to a greater range of environmental toxins and physical stressors.

Question 54

What appears to be the cause of HIV-related neurocognitive disorder?

A) side effects of medications used to treat HIV
B) opportunistic infections that impact HIV patients
C) chemical imbalances in the brain
D) the HIV infection itself

Question 55

If neurocognitive disorder is caused by a process that has damaged the dopamine pathways in Jane's brain,what can we assume is the cause of her neurocognitive disorder?

A) head trauma
B) Parkinson's disease
C) Huntington's disease
D) Alzheimer's disease

Question 56

Which of the following is NOT a known cause of neurocognitive disorder?

A) HIV
B) diabetes
C) vitamin B12 deficiency
D) head trauma

Question 57

When do symptoms of neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease typically appear?

A) when a person is in their 40s or 50s
B) when a person is in their 50s or 60s
C) when a person is in their 60s or 70s
D) when a person is in their 70s or 80s

Question 58

What are the two most frequent causes of neurocognitive disorder?

A) biochemical processes and head trauma
B) Alzheimer's disease and vascular neurocognitive disorder
C) Alzheimer's disease and biochemical processes
D) head trauma and vascular neurocognitive disorder

Question 59

Which of the following individuals has the greatest risk of developing neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease?

A) Rena, who completed university, although she has an average IQ
B) Paul, who is wealthy and well educated
C) Carrie, who dropped out of school when she was very young
D) Jack, who is extremely bright but never finished university

Question 60

In contrast to patients with neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease,what symptoms are patients with vascular neurocognitive disorder more likely to have?

A) memory impairment during the late stages
B) abnormalities in walking or muscle weakness during the early stages
C) memory impairment during the early stages
D) abnormalities in walking or muscle weakness during the late stages

Question 61

What do autopsies performed on the brains of deceased persons both with and without Alzheimer's disease show regarding amyloid plaques?

A) They are present only in the brains of people who died of Alzheimer's disease.
B) Those in patients with Alzheimer's disease are of a different type than those in patients without Alzheimer's.
C) They accumulate in aging brains over time, regardless of whether symptoms of neurocognitive disorder are apparent, but to a much greater degree in the brains of Alzheimer's patients.
D) They accumulate in aging brains over time, regardless of whether symptoms of neurocognitive disorder are apparent, but are located in different parts of the brain in patients with and without Alzheimer's disease.

Question 62

Compared to most disorders,what is so unusual about Huntington's disease?

A) It is the result of one gene.
B) It is associated with subcortical impairment.
C) It is a cause of neurocognitive disorder.
D) It is influenced by many genes.

Question 63

The disorder that causes a form of neurocognitive disorder called "bovine spongiform encephalopathy" (BSE)or "mad cow disease" is a variant of a specific illness.What is the illness?

A) Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
B) Pick's disease
C) Huntington's disease
D) neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease

Question 64

How is recent research regarding the biological processes and genetic factors associated with neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease best viewed?

A) as significant findings that build upon an already extensive body of research
B) as preliminary findings that need to be studied further
C) as interesting theories regarding influences, though of little potential use for finding a way to predict and treat neurocognitive disorder
D) as hypotheses that have yet to be tested

Question 65

Only some patients go on to develop neurocognitive disorder after being diagnosed with which of the following diseases?

A) Parkinson's disease and Pick's disease
B) Pick's disease and Huntington's disease
C) Alzheimer's disease and Huntington's disease
D) Huntington's disease and Parkinson's disease

Question 66

What is the status regarding gene testing for neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease?

A) It is impossible to screen for neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease because there are so many genes involved.
B) Some tests are available to the public for screening for the early-onset and late-onset forms of the disease.
C) There are currently no valid tests to screen for Alzheimer's disease.
D) Some screening tests have been developed for research purposes, but they are not yet available to the public.

Question 67

One theory about the development of neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease suggests that the formation of solid waxy proteins in the brain causes the disorder.Which of the following is this process similar to?

A) the formation of scar tissue following an injury
B) vascular spasms causing migraines
C) cholesterol buildup in blood vessels, causing cardiovascular disease
D) head trauma causing neuronal death

Question 68

The symptoms of neurocognitive disorder associated with substance dependence are similar to the symptoms observed in a specific illness.What is the illness?

A) Huntington's disease
B) neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease
C) vascular neurocognitive disorder
D) HIV-induced neurocognitive disorder

Question 69

According to genetic research,how is neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease caused?

A) There are many forms of neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease and each form may have somewhat different features and different genetic influences.
B) There are too many complex interactions to ever understand the causes of neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease.
C) There are one or two forms of neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease and each form may have a different genetic cause.
D) There are three identifiable forms of neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease, each with its own specific genetic influences.

Question 70

Which chromosome was first linked to the onset of Alzheimer's disease?

A) 2
B) 14
C) 19
D) 21

Question 71

On the basis of research findings,what do most scientists now conclude about the relationship between aluminum and neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease?

A) It is almost indisputable.
B) It exists, but the typical levels of aluminum in our environment are so low as to pose a minimal risk.
C) It is very weak if it exists at all.
D) It is fairly strong.

Question 72

What is the best way to think about the psychological and social influences involved in neurocognitive disorder?

A) They can help compare and contrast cultural influences.
B) They help determine the onset and course.
C) They are direct causes.
D) They have a minimal impact.

Question 73

How are the neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid plaques associated with neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease observed?

A) only during an EEG examination
B) only during an autopsy
C) only on functional brain scans (fMRI)
D) only on MRI or CT brain scans

Question 74

What disorder is associated with the formation of neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid plaques?

A) Pick's disease
B) neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease
C) Huntington's disease
D) Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

Question 75

It is thought that similar genes are involved in Alzheimer's disease and another illness.What is the other illness?

A) Huntingdon's disease
B) Parkinson's disease
C) Down syndrome
D) delirium

Question 76

Which of the following is more likely to be caused by neurocognitive disorder due to HIV than neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease?

A) short-term memory loss
B) death
C) severe depression
D) long-term memory loss

Question 77

How are the amyloid plaques that accumulate in the brains of Alzheimer's patients best described?

A) as gummy protein deposits
B) as plaques of dead nerve cells
C) as tangled, strand-like filaments
D) as mineral deposits

Question 78

Which of the following disorders begins with involuntary movements referred to as "chorea"?

A) Alzheimer's disease
B) Huntington's disease
C) Parkinson's disease
D) Monger-Rolland syndrome

Question 79

Based on known facts about the genetic influences on Alzheimer's disease,it appears that there may be several genetic causes,which may influence the course and age of onset for the disorder.For example,genetic research has found an association between chromosome 14 and chromosome 19 and specific types of Alzheimer's disease.What are these types,respectively?

A) late onset and early onset
B) early onset and late onset
C) irreversible and reversible
D) reversible and irreversible

Question 80

The symptoms of neurocognitive disorder associated with substance dependence are generally caused by the prolonged drug use itself,especially in combination with another factor.What is the other factor?

A) poor diet
B) an inactive lifestyle
C) cigarette smoking
D) a family history of neurocognitive disorder