Comprehensive Review of Psychopathology Etiologies & Treatments

These question-and-answer flashcards cover key etiologies, core concepts, and frontline treatments across major psychological disorders, providing a concise yet comprehensive review for examination preparation.

Low levels of serotonin and GABA.

What neurotransmitter deficiencies are associated with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)?

Cortisol.

Which hormone is typically elevated in individuals with GAD?

Benzodiazepines and antidepressants.

Name two first-line pharmacologic treatments for GAD.

Irrational assumptions.

According to Albert Ellis, which cognitive error contributes to GAD?

Exposure-based therapies such as flooding or systematic desensitization.

What behavioral method is central to treating Specific Phobia?

Mowrer’s two-factor theory.

Which theory explains how phobias are acquired through conditioning and maintained through avoidance?

D-Cycloserine.

Social Anxiety Disorder often benefits from which antibiotic that enhances learning during exposure?

Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT).

What core intervention combines exposure and cognitive restructuring for Social Anxiety Disorder?

Norepinephrine.

Which neurotransmitter is elevated in Panic Disorder and linked to autonomic arousal?

Panic Control Treatment.

Name the gold-standard CBT protocol designed specifically for Panic Disorder.

The caudate nucleus.

In OCD, which brain structure’s dysfunction is frequently implicated?

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP).

What is the evidence-based behavioural treatment for OCD that prevents ritual performance?

Cosmetic (plastic) surgery.

Body Dysmorphic Disorder patients sometimes seek which non-psychological intervention that is generally NOT recommended?

Two short alleles of the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR).

Which genetic variant (short allele) heightens risk for PTSD by affecting serotonin transport?

Prolonged exposure therapy (including VR exposure).

What virtual or in-vivo technique is widely used in PTSD treatment to process trauma memories?

Mindfulness-based CBT.

Somatic Symptom Disorder often involves a tendency to misinterpret bodily sensations; which therapy focuses on decentering from those sensations?

Primary gain (anxiety reduction) and secondary gain (external rewards).

Conversion Disorder symptoms can be maintained by what Freudian mechanisms offering internal and external benefits?

Amytal (sodium amytal).

Which hypnotic drug is occasionally used diagnostically in Dissociative Amnesia to facilitate recall?

Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder.

Grounding techniques are especially helpful for which dissociative condition?

SSRIs or SNRIs.

What class of medications is frequently prescribed for Dissociative Identity Disorder to target comorbid depression or anxiety?

Anorexia Nervosa.

Low hypothalamic activity and perfectionism traits are biological findings in which eating disorder?

Family-based therapy (Maudsley approach).

What family-based conversational style intervention helps adolescents with Anorexia regain healthy eating?

SSRIs (e.g., fluoxetine).

First-line medication for Bulimia Nervosa that also reduces binge-purge cycles is what?

Premature ejaculation (and erectile dysfunction).

Performance anxiety is a central psychological cause of which sexual dysfunction in men?

Masters and Johnson.

Sensate focus exercises were developed by which therapeutic team to treat sexual dysfunctions?

Fetishistic Disorder.

Classical conditioning explains how non-living objects become sexual stimuli in which paraphilic disorder?

Pedophilic Disorder (also used in other paraphilias).

Cyproterone acetate is an anti-androgen sometimes used to reduce libido in which disorder?

Antisocial Personality Disorder.

Under-arousal theory and fearlessness hypothesis relate to which personality disorder?

Borderline Personality Disorder.

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is the frontline psychotherapy for which personality disorder?

Avoidant Personality Disorder.

Which personality disorder is characterised by social inhibition stemming from a belief that others will always judge them?

Anal retentive stage.

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder is psychodynamically linked to fixation at which psychosexual stage?

Smaller brain volume and low dopamine/norepinephrine activity.

Name two neurodevelopmental substrates associated with ADHD.

DAT1.

Which gene coding for the dopamine transporter is implicated in ADHD?

Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Failure to develop a Theory of Mind is a central psychological explanation for which disorder?

Left occipitotemporal area (visual word form area).

Which brain region is typically under-developed in dyslexia?

Antipsychotics (e.g., haloperidol).

Delirium is most commonly managed acutely with which class of psychotropic drugs?

Vitamin B12 deficiency and normal-pressure hydrocephalus.

Name two reversible medical causes that must be ruled out before diagnosing a Neurocognitive Disorder.

Low serotonin permits dysregulation of norepinephrine and dopamine.

The permissive hypothesis in depression describes the role of which neurotransmitters?

Global.

Learned helplessness involves attributions that are internal, stable, and what third dimension?

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT).

Which neuromodulation treatment uses electrical current to induce cortical seizures for severe depression?

Bipolar Disorders.

Lithium remains the gold-standard mood stabilizer for which class of disorders?

Substance Use Disorders.

Contingency management provides tangible rewards for abstinence in treating what disorder category?

D2 receptors.

Which neurotransmitter receptor subtype is overactive in schizophrenia positive symptoms according to the dopamine hypothesis?

Operant conditioning reinforcement.

Token economy is an illustrative example of which behavioural principle applied to schizophrenia in inpatient settings?

Schizophrenia.

High expressed emotion in families is a social predictor of relapse in which disorder?

Compulsions (rituals).

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) primarily targets which OCD component: obsessions or compulsions?

Belief that having a thought is morally equivalent to acting on it.

What is thought-action fusion in OCD?

SSRIs and SNRIs.

Name the two major types of antidepressants often combined with benzodiazepines for GAD.

D-Cycloserine (acts at NMDA receptors, not a benzodiazepine).

Which benzodiazepine site partial agonist can be used as an adjunct in Social Anxiety Disorder to facilitate learning?

Interoceptive misinterpretation leading to catastrophic misappraisal.

What cognitive error involves catastrophizing bodily sensations in Panic Disorder?

Emotional vulnerability and an invalidating environment.

According to biosocial theory, which two factors interact to produce Borderline Personality Disorder?

Sensate focus exercises.

Which sexual dysfunction technique instructs couples to engage in non-goal-oriented touching to reduce anxiety?

Sigmund Freud.

Primary vs. secondary gain distinctions originate from whose psychoanalytic explanation of Conversion Disorder?

Schizophrenia.

‘Double bind’ communication was once theorized to cause which psychiatric illness, though now largely debunked?

Methylphenidate-based stimulants.

What is the first-line stimulant medication class for ADHD?

Short–short 5-HTTLPR allele.

Which gene polymorphism of serotonin transport is associated with PTSD vulnerability?

Critical incident stress debriefing (though evidence mixed).

Name one psychological first aid technique used immediately after trauma to prevent PTSD.

There is no FDA-approved antipsychotic for this purpose; atypical antipsychotics are used off-label (e.g., risperidone).

What psychotropic agent is FDA-approved for night-time agitation in Neurocognitive Disorder due to Alzheimer’s?

Classical conditioning establishes the fear; operant (avoidance) conditioning maintains it.

What does Mowrer’s two-factor theory say about fear acquisition and maintenance?

Paranoid Personality Disorder.

Which personality disorder features pervasive distrust and suspicion of others’ motives?

Client-centered (Rogerian) therapy.

What school of therapy emphasizes unconditional positive regard and is used in Humanistic treatment?

Serotonin.

Which neurotransmitter modulator is low in both Anorexia and Bulimia Nervosa?

Exhibitionistic and Pedophilic Disorders (also others).

Cyproterone acetate reduces testosterone; which two paraphilic disorders commonly use it?

Expectation of rejection and criticism from others.

What is the hallmark cognitive belief in Avoidant Personality Disorder?

Beck’s Cognitive Therapy.

Which type of cognitive therapy focuses on identifying and challenging dysfunctional beliefs in depression?

Serotonin regulates other neurotransmitters; low serotonin ‘permits’ norepinephrine/dopamine dysregulation leading to mood symptoms.

Explain the concept of ‘permissive hypothesis’ in mood disorders.

Behavioral family psychoeducation/support.

What family training model helps reduce expressed emotion for schizophrenia relapse prevention?

Provides immersive, controllable cues that can replicate trauma contexts more vividly for habituation.

Why is VR exposure advantageous in treating PTSD compared to imaginal exposure?

Absence of parental love leads to lack of basic trust and use of power for bonding.

Identify one psychodynamic explanation for Antisocial Personality Disorder.

Developmental dyscalculia.

Which learning disability is linked to deficits in the intraparietal sulcus?

Worrying about the fact that one worries, leading to an endless cycle.

Describe ‘meta-worrying’ in GAD.

Low-dose antipsychotics (e.g., haloperidol).

What is the primary pharmacologic treatment class for delirium caused by agitation?

Relapse Prevention Model.

What behavioural factor model explains substance relapse through high-risk situations and coping deficits?

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT).

Which therapy merges CBT principles with mindfulness and acceptance, helpful for Somatic Symptom Disorder?

Cognitive or behavioral acts performed to eliminate unwanted thoughts or reduce anxiety associated with them.

What is neutralization in OCD?

Dopamine D4 and D5 receptors.

Which biological theory of ADHD involves reduced function in which neurotransmitter receptors?

Amygdala and locus coeruleus.

Identify two brain areas hyperactivated during panic attacks.

Peer pressure or adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).

Name a social/cultural factor that increases risk for Substance Use Disorders.

Referential (persecutory) bias.

What cognitive bias in schizophrenia involves misinterpreting neutral events as personally relevant?