CMN 552 PSYCHIATRIC NURSING
MOOD DISORDERS EXAM
QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANWERS WITH ALL DETAILS
GRADED A+ FOR 2026 ASSURRED
EXCEL
PSYCHIATRIC NURSING MOOD
DISORDERS
MASTER REVISION & LICENSURE EXAM PREPARATION GUIDE
,Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
• How are dopamine levels affected in depression and mania? - CORRECT ANSWERS-
Dopamine activity may be reduced in depression and increased in mania
• How does depression affect sleep neurophysiology? - CORRECT ANSWERS-Loss of deep
(slow-wave) sleep
• Bipolar I: Have a poorer prognosis than do patients with major depressive disorder. About
40 to 50 percent of patients with bipolar I disorder may have a second manic episode within
2 years of the first episode. poor occupational status, alcohol dependence, psychotic
features, depressive features, interepisode depressive features, and male gender were all
factors that contributed a poor prognosis. Short duration of manic episodes, advanced age
of onset, few suicidal thoughts, and few coexisting psychiatric or medical problems predict a
better outcome.
• What is endogenous depression? - CORRECT ANSWERS-depression with no apparent
cause
• What diagnostic criteria are required for a patient to receive a diagnosis of Major
Depressive Disorder? - CORRECT ANSWERS-*Five (or more) of the following symptoms
have been present during the same 2-week period and represent a change from previous
functioning; at least one of the symptoms is either (1) depressed mood or (2) loss of
interest or pleasure.
• The occurrence of the major depressive episode is not better explained by schizoaffective
disorder, schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder, delusional disorde
• Twofold greater prevalence of major depressive disorder in women than in men.
• The mean age of onset for major depressive disorder is about 40 years, with 50 percent of
all patients having an onset between the ages of 20 and 50 years.
• 18. What are the difficulties in recognizing depression in the elderly population? -
CORRECT ANSWERS-Elderly people often have various co-morbid medical disorders that
may have similar symptoms to depression.
• 20. How does the clinician differentiate MDD from Bipolar Disorder? - CORRECT
ANSWERS-Episodes of mania-like symptoms, indicating bipolar I disorder (complete manic
and depressive syndromes), bipolar II disorder (recurrent major depressive episodes with
hypomania),
• 26. What is SIGECAPS? Why is this mnemonic helpful to the clinician? - CORRECT
ANSWERS-Sleep disorder (either increased or decreased sleep)*
• What are the diagnostic criteria and clinical features for dysthymia? - CORRECT
ANSWERS-This disorder represents a consolidation of DSM-lV-defined chronic major
depressive disorder and dysthymic disorder.
, • D. Criteria for a major depressive disorder may be continuously present for 2 years.
• SLEEP STUDIES: Decreased REM latency and increased REM density are markers of
depression in major depressive disorder that also occur in a significant proportion of
patients with dysthymia.
• NEUROENDOCRINE STUDIES: Patients with dysthymia are less likely to have abnormal
results on a DST than are patients with major depressive disorder.
• What is double depression? - CORRECT ANSWERS-An estimated 40 percent of patients
with major depressive disorder also meet the criteria for dysthymia.
• Patients with double depression have a poorer prognosis than patients with only major
depressive disorder.
• Treatment should be directed toward both disorders because the resolution of the
symptoms of major depressive episode still leaves these patients with significant
psychiatric impairment.
• Diagnostic criteria for Depressive Disorder Due to another Medical Condition - CORRECT
ANSWERS-A. Depression/anhedonia
• Diagnostic criteria for other specified depressive disorder - CORRECT ANSWERS-
Depression not meeting the full criteria for any of the disorders in the depressive disorders
diagnostic class.
• 1. Recurrent brief depression: Concurrent presence of depressed mood and at least four
other symptoms of depression for 2-13 days at least once per month (not associated with
the menstrual cycle) for at least 12 consecutive months in an individual whose presentation
has never met criteria for any other depressive or bipolar disorder and does not currently
meet active or residual criteria for any psychotic disorder.
• 2. Short-duration depressive episode (4-13 days): Depressed affect and at least four of the
other eight symptoms of a major depressive episode associated with clinically significant
distress or impairment that persists for more than 4 days, but less than 14 days, in an
individual whose presentation has never met criteria for any other depressive or bipolar
disorder, does not currently meet active or residual criteria for any psychotic disorder, and
does not meet criteria for recurrent brief depression.
• 3. Depressive episode with insufficient symptoms: Depressed affect and at least one of the
other eight symptoms of a major depressive episode associated with clinically significant
distress or impairment that persist for at least 2 weeks in an individual whose presentation
has never met criteria for any other depressive or bipolar disorder, does not currently meet
active or residual criteria for any psychotic disorder, and does not meet criteria for mixed
anxiety and depressi
MOOD DISORDERS EXAM
QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANWERS WITH ALL DETAILS
GRADED A+ FOR 2026 ASSURRED
EXCEL
PSYCHIATRIC NURSING MOOD
DISORDERS
MASTER REVISION & LICENSURE EXAM PREPARATION GUIDE
,Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
• How are dopamine levels affected in depression and mania? - CORRECT ANSWERS-
Dopamine activity may be reduced in depression and increased in mania
• How does depression affect sleep neurophysiology? - CORRECT ANSWERS-Loss of deep
(slow-wave) sleep
• Bipolar I: Have a poorer prognosis than do patients with major depressive disorder. About
40 to 50 percent of patients with bipolar I disorder may have a second manic episode within
2 years of the first episode. poor occupational status, alcohol dependence, psychotic
features, depressive features, interepisode depressive features, and male gender were all
factors that contributed a poor prognosis. Short duration of manic episodes, advanced age
of onset, few suicidal thoughts, and few coexisting psychiatric or medical problems predict a
better outcome.
• What is endogenous depression? - CORRECT ANSWERS-depression with no apparent
cause
• What diagnostic criteria are required for a patient to receive a diagnosis of Major
Depressive Disorder? - CORRECT ANSWERS-*Five (or more) of the following symptoms
have been present during the same 2-week period and represent a change from previous
functioning; at least one of the symptoms is either (1) depressed mood or (2) loss of
interest or pleasure.
• The occurrence of the major depressive episode is not better explained by schizoaffective
disorder, schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder, delusional disorde
• Twofold greater prevalence of major depressive disorder in women than in men.
• The mean age of onset for major depressive disorder is about 40 years, with 50 percent of
all patients having an onset between the ages of 20 and 50 years.
• 18. What are the difficulties in recognizing depression in the elderly population? -
CORRECT ANSWERS-Elderly people often have various co-morbid medical disorders that
may have similar symptoms to depression.
• 20. How does the clinician differentiate MDD from Bipolar Disorder? - CORRECT
ANSWERS-Episodes of mania-like symptoms, indicating bipolar I disorder (complete manic
and depressive syndromes), bipolar II disorder (recurrent major depressive episodes with
hypomania),
• 26. What is SIGECAPS? Why is this mnemonic helpful to the clinician? - CORRECT
ANSWERS-Sleep disorder (either increased or decreased sleep)*
• What are the diagnostic criteria and clinical features for dysthymia? - CORRECT
ANSWERS-This disorder represents a consolidation of DSM-lV-defined chronic major
depressive disorder and dysthymic disorder.
, • D. Criteria for a major depressive disorder may be continuously present for 2 years.
• SLEEP STUDIES: Decreased REM latency and increased REM density are markers of
depression in major depressive disorder that also occur in a significant proportion of
patients with dysthymia.
• NEUROENDOCRINE STUDIES: Patients with dysthymia are less likely to have abnormal
results on a DST than are patients with major depressive disorder.
• What is double depression? - CORRECT ANSWERS-An estimated 40 percent of patients
with major depressive disorder also meet the criteria for dysthymia.
• Patients with double depression have a poorer prognosis than patients with only major
depressive disorder.
• Treatment should be directed toward both disorders because the resolution of the
symptoms of major depressive episode still leaves these patients with significant
psychiatric impairment.
• Diagnostic criteria for Depressive Disorder Due to another Medical Condition - CORRECT
ANSWERS-A. Depression/anhedonia
• Diagnostic criteria for other specified depressive disorder - CORRECT ANSWERS-
Depression not meeting the full criteria for any of the disorders in the depressive disorders
diagnostic class.
• 1. Recurrent brief depression: Concurrent presence of depressed mood and at least four
other symptoms of depression for 2-13 days at least once per month (not associated with
the menstrual cycle) for at least 12 consecutive months in an individual whose presentation
has never met criteria for any other depressive or bipolar disorder and does not currently
meet active or residual criteria for any psychotic disorder.
• 2. Short-duration depressive episode (4-13 days): Depressed affect and at least four of the
other eight symptoms of a major depressive episode associated with clinically significant
distress or impairment that persists for more than 4 days, but less than 14 days, in an
individual whose presentation has never met criteria for any other depressive or bipolar
disorder, does not currently meet active or residual criteria for any psychotic disorder, and
does not meet criteria for recurrent brief depression.
• 3. Depressive episode with insufficient symptoms: Depressed affect and at least one of the
other eight symptoms of a major depressive episode associated with clinically significant
distress or impairment that persist for at least 2 weeks in an individual whose presentation
has never met criteria for any other depressive or bipolar disorder, does not currently meet
active or residual criteria for any psychotic disorder, and does not meet criteria for mixed
anxiety and depressi
