1. Which symptom is not considered to be a core symptom of schizophrenia?
A. Delusions
B. Disorganized speech
C. Depression
D. Hallucinations
2. Which is a negative symptom of schizophrenia?
A. Auditory hallucinations
B. Poverty of speech
C. Paranoid delusions
D. Disorganized behavior
3. Which neurotransmitter is most strongly implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia?
A. Dopamine
B. Serotonin
C. GABA
D. Acetylcholine
4. Schizophrenia is more common in individuals with which of the following genetic profiles?
A. A positive family history of the disease
B. Certain single nucleotide polymorphisms
C. 22q11.2 deletion syndrome
D. All of the above
5. Which physical examination finding may suggest an underlying cause rather than schizophrenia?
A. Atherosclerotic plaques
B. Parkinsonian gait
C. Papilledema
D. Clubbing of fingers
6. Which blood test may help rule out an underlying medical condition masquerading as schizophrenia?
A. TSH
B. IgG
C. Venereal disease research laboratory test
D. Vitamin B12
7. Which structural imaging abnormality is most characteristic of schizophrenia?
A. Ventricular enlargement
B. Abnormalities of hippocampus
C. White matter hyperintensities
D. Basal ganglia infarctions
8. Which phase of illness in schizophrenia carries the highest risk of self-harm or harming others?
A. Residual
B. Negative symptoms
C. Positive symptoms
D. Acute
9. Which antipsychotic medication is considered first-line for treatment of schizophrenia?
A. Clozapine
B. Haloperidol
C. Olanzapine
D. Risperidone
10. Which adverse effect is seen with both typical and atypical antipsychotics but is more common with typicals?
A. Metabolic syndrome
B. Extrapyramidal symptoms
C. Sedation
D. Hyperprolactinemia
11. Hallucinations in schizophrenia are commonly:
A. Auditory
B. Visual
C. Olfactory
D. Tactile
12. Which is the most common type of delusion seen in schizophrenia:
A. Grandiose
B. Somatic
C. Persecutory
D. Reference
13. Negative symptoms of schizophrenia refer to:
A. Excess or distorted functions
B. Absence or deficiency of normal functions
C. Mood symptoms
D. Cognitive symptoms
14. Cognitive impairments are seen in which percentage of patients with schizophrenia:
A. 50%
B. 75%
C. 90%
D. 100%
15. Which anticholinergic medication is used as an adjunct to treat antipsychotic induced extrapyramidal symptoms?
A. Benztropine
B. Propranolol
C. Lorazepam
D. Clonazepam
16. Electroconvulsive therapy is used as a treatment option in schizophrenia for:
A. Treatment resistant illness
B. Catatonia
C. Both a and b
D. Acute manic episodes
17. The majority of patients with schizophrenia respond well to which line of treatment?:
A. Antipsychotics alone
B. Combination of medication and psychosocial treatment
C. Electroconvulsive therapy
D. Psychotherapy alone
18. Cognitive-behavioral therapy helps patients with schizophrenia by:
A. Challenging disturbed perceptions and beliefs
B. Teaching life skills to cope with illness
C. Both a and b
D. Enhancing support system
19. Risk of suicide is highest in which phase of schizophrenia:
A. Acute
B. Residual
C. Chronic
D. Prodromal
20. Positive symptoms of schizophrenia include:
A. Poverty of speech
B. Blunted affect
C. Delusions
D. Hallucinations
21. Substance use worsens prognosis in schizophrenia by:
A. Unmasking an underlying primary psychotic illness
B. Non-adherence to treatment due to intoxication or withdrawal
C. Neurotoxic effects altering the course of illness
D. All of the above
22. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors are not usually recommended as first line treatment due to:
A. High toxicity in overdose
B. Significant drug-drug interactions
C. Metabolic side effects
D. Low efficacy
23. People with schizophrenia are at higher risk for:
A. Obesity
B. Seizures
C. Diabetes mellitus
D. Hyperthyroidism
24. Factors worsening prognosis of schizophrenia include:
A. Long duration of untreated psychosis
B. Male gender
C. Early age of onset
D. All of the above
25. “Hebephrenic schizophrenia” referred to a subtype characterized by:
A. Disorganized speech and behavior
B. Presence of mood symptoms
C. Flat or inappropriate affect
D. Late age of onset
26. The dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia was proposed based on the observation that dopamine receptor blocking drugs were effective as:
A. Antipsychotics
B. Anticholinergics
C. Antidepressants
D. Anxiolytics
27. Deficit syndrome in schizophrenia refers to:
A. Persistent negative symptoms despite adequate treatment
B. Schizophrenia with predominant negative symptoms
C. Schizophrenia with comorbid depression
D. Treatment resistant positive symptoms
28. Clozapine has been shown to be effective in treatment resistant schizophrenia because it:
A. Has strong antimuscarinic effects to counter extrapyramidal symptoms
B. Is a broad spectrum antipsychotic impacting multiple receptor types
C. Has anti-inflammatory properties to modulate pathological process
D. Causes less weight gain and metabolic side effects
29. Prepulse inhibition refers to the attenuation of startle response by a weak non-startling stimulus shortly preceding the startle stimulus. Prepulse inhibition is reduced in:
A. Schizophrenia
B. Bipolar disorder
C. PTSD
D. Depression
30. Neuroleptic malignant syndrome is a medical emergency caused by:
A. Use of high potency first generation antipsychotics
B. Abrupt withdrawal of antipsychotics
C. Use of lithium or valproate for bipolar disorder
D. Use of antidepressants in bipolar depression
31. PANSS (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale) is a commonly used rating scale to:
A. Assess treatment response in clinical trials
B. Evaluate cognitive functions
C. Measure functioning and disability
D. Diagnose schizophrenia
32. Causes of poor adherence to treatment in schizophrenia can include:
A. Lack of insight into illness
B. Side effects of medication
C. Stigma associated with mental illness
D. All of the above
33. Residual phase of schizophrenia is characterized by:
A. Persisting positive symptoms
B. Emergence of negative symptoms
C. Recurrent exacerbations
D. Complete remission of symptoms
34. Stressful life events are associated with:
A. Increased risk of relapse in schizophrenia
B. Onset of depressive episode in bipolar disorder
C. Switch from depression to mania in bipolar disorder
D. Both a and b
35. Which neuroimaging modality best demonstrates ventricular enlargement seen in schizophrenia?
A. MRI
B. CT
C. PET
D. SPECT
36. Genetic linkage studies in schizophrenia have implicated regions on chromosome:
A. 1
B. 6
C. 11
D. 22
37. Prevalence of schizophrenia is approximately:
A. 0.5-1% worldwide
B. 1-2% worldwide
C. 2-3% worldwide
D. 3-5% worldwide
38. The diathesis-stress model of schizophrenia proposes:
A. Multiple small effects from genes and environment combine to cause illness
B. Genetic predisposition interacts with stressful life events to precipitate illness
C. Schizophrenia is primarily due to genetic causes
D. Stress is the sole causative factor in schizophrenia
39. Social and occupational functioning is significantly impaired in schizophrenia because of:
A. Negative symptoms
B. Cognitive deficits
C. Medication side effects
D. Stigma and self-esteem issues
40. Association between teenage cannabis use and schizophrenia later in life is best explained by:
A. Neurotoxic effects of cannabis inducing neuronal changes predisposing to schizophrenia
B. Unmasking of latent schizophrenia in vulnerable individuals
C. Exacerbating effect of cannabis on pre-existing psychosis
D. Definitive causal link between cannabis and schizophrenia