Etiological Factors in Psychiatry MCQ Quiz | Medical Psychiatry

Welcome to this comprehensive MCQ quiz on the Etiological Factors in Psychiatry, designed specifically for MBBS students. This module is crucial for understanding the complex interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors contributing to mental illness. This quiz will test your knowledge on key concepts including genetic predispositions, neurochemical imbalances like the dopamine and serotonin hypotheses, structural brain changes, and the impact of psychosocial stressors. By tackling these 25 questions, you can assess your grasp of the diathesis-stress model and neurodevelopmental theories. After submitting, you’ll receive your score and can review the correct answers. You can also download all questions with their answers in a PDF format for future revision.

1. The dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia primarily implicates hyperactivity in which pathway, leading to positive symptoms?

2. High levels of “Expressed Emotion” (EE) in families are a well-established predictor of relapse in which psychiatric disorder?

3. The monoamine hypothesis of depression primarily posits a deficiency in which group of neurotransmitters?

4. Concordance rates for Bipolar I Disorder in monozygotic twins are typically estimated to be in which range?

5. Chronic dysregulation of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis, leading to elevated cortisol levels, is most strongly associated with:

6. The neurodevelopmental hypothesis of schizophrenia suggests that the illness originates from:

7. Which of the following best describes the diathesis-stress model of mental illness?

8. Reduced volume of the hippocampus is a common neuroanatomical finding in which two conditions?

9. The “Kindling Hypothesis” has been proposed to explain the progressive nature and increasing frequency of episodes in:

10. A polymorphism in the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) is associated with an increased risk of depression, but primarily in individuals who have also experienced:

11. The “social drift” hypothesis suggests that in schizophrenia:

12. Dysfunction in the Cortico-Striato-Thalamo-Cortical (CSTC) loop is most prominently implicated in the pathophysiology of:

13. Which of the following is considered a major environmental risk factor for schizophrenia?

14. The concept of “learned helplessness,” often used to model depression, was developed by:

15. A deficiency in GABAergic neurotransmission is a key etiological theory for which class of disorders?

16. The presence of the Apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 allele significantly increases the risk for:

17. According to Bowlby’s attachment theory, which attachment style is most associated with the development of personality disorders in adulthood?

18. Hyperactivity of the amygdala is a consistent neurobiological finding in:

19. The “Glutamate Hypothesis” of schizophrenia suggests that __________ of NMDA receptors contributes to both positive and negative symptoms.

20. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are strongly correlated with an increased risk for which of the following in adulthood?

21. A low level of the serotonin metabolite 5-HIAA in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has been associated with:

22. PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infections) is a proposed etiological factor for the acute onset of:

23. Which personality trait from the Five-Factor Model is most strongly and consistently linked to a higher risk for depression and anxiety disorders?

24. Decreased levels of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) are implicated in the pathophysiology of:

25. The concept of “epigenetics” in psychiatry refers to: