PSYC 435 - Abnormal Psychology Quiz 3
Concepts Complete Questions With Verified
Answers
What is a mood disorder?
Extreme variations in mood—either low or high—are the predominant feature.
What are the primary distinctions between depressive disorders and bipolar disorders?
Unipolar: only depressive episodes. Bipolar: depressive and manic/hypomanic episodes.
How prevalent are the two types of mood disorders?
Major mood disorders = all anxiety disorders together.
How do the prevalence rates of depressive and bipolar disorders differ between groups?
In the US unipolar major depression is higher: in women than men, in European white Americans and
Hispanics than African Americans, individuals in lower socioeconomic groups, and those who have
high levels of accomplishments in the arts
Case Study: Jennifer (Major Depressive Disorder)
major life stressor 6 months prior: husband of 15 years left her for a younger woman he met at work.
Several weeks after he had moved out, she became increasingly sad, cried for extended periods
throughout the day several times per week, stopped enjoying things, her body was heavy, she lacked
energy and lost work, could not manage her home, forgot to pick up her children and make dinner,
eating and sleeping declined drastically, hours spent lying in bed, anxiety increased, worries over what
would happen but unable to change leading to further sadness, idealized and then explicit and
frequent thoughts of suicide
What are the major features that differentiate dysthymic disorder and major depressive disorder?
Major depressive disorder/MDD/major depression: must be in a major depressive episode and never
have had a manic, hypo-manic, or mixed episode. Persistent depressive disorder/formerly called
dysthymic disorder/dysthymia: persistently depressed mood most of the day, for more days than not,
for at least 2 years (1 year for children and adolescents).
What often precedes depression?
Stressful life events; largest stressors: the loss of life and creation of new life - psychologists have
struggled with how to appropriately diagnose (or not) a person's response to them.
What are the common specifiers of major depressive disorder?
Melancholic: Three of the following: early morning awakening, depression worse in the morning,
marked psychomotor agitation or retardation, loss of appetite or weight, excessive guilt, qualitatively
different depressed mood. Psychotic: Delusions or hallucinations (usually mood congruent); feelings
of guilt and worthlessness common. Atypical: Mood reactivity—brightens to positive events; two of
the four following symptoms: weight gain or increase in appetite, hypersomnia, leaden paralysis
(arms and legs feel as heavy as lead), being acutely sensitive to interpersonal rejection. Catatonic: A
range of psychomotor symptoms from motoric immobility to extensive psychomotor activity, as well
as mutism and rigidity. Seasonal: At least two or more episodes in past 2 years that have occurred at
the same time (usually fall or winter), and full remission at the same time (usually spring). No other
non-seasonal episodes in the same 2-year period
, Distinguish between recurrence and relapse.
Relapse: the return of symptoms within a fairly short period of time, likely due to the underlying
situation not having resolved. Recurrence: onset of a new episode of depression; 40 to 50 % of people
who experience a depressive episode; increases with the number of prior episodes and when there
are comorbid disorders; often have some depressive symptoms half to two-thirds of the time; those
with residual symptoms or with significant psychosocial impairment following an initial depressive
episode are more likely to have recurrences than those whose symptoms remit completely
Genetic causal factors for unipolar depression
moderate contribution to the vulnerability for major depression and probably dysthymia as well
Biochemical causal factors for unipolar depression
monoamine theory of depression: (60's thought to at least sometimes be due/now only correlated) to
an absolute or relative depletion of one or both of serotonin and norepinephrine at important
receptor sites in the brain.
Neuroendocrinological causal factors for unipolar depression
{^HPA/vHPTA/vDexamethasone} ^HPA: increased reactivity of the HPA axis leads to increased cortisol
levels; {vHPTA} low thyroid levels/dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary thyroid axis; immune
system dysregulation (activation of the inflammatory response system-increased proinflammatory
cytokines such as interleukin and interferon); {vDexamethasone} (suppressor of plasma cortisol)
either fails to suppress or fails to sustain its suppression of cortisol in ~ 45% of patients with serious
depression (seen in other disorders such as panic disorder; nonspecific indicator of generalized
mental distress)
Neurophysiological causal factors for unipolar depression
{OP-H-AC/DP/AP\A} Orbital Prefrontal cortex: -decreased volume- (responsivity to reward);
Hippocampus: -decreased volume- [cell death - may precede onset] (learning and memory and
regulation of ACTH); Anterior Cingulate cortex: both -decreased volume- and /low activity/ (selective
attention - self-regulation and adaptability); Dorsolateral Pre-frontal cortex: -low activity- (decreased
cognitive control); Anterior Prefrontal cortex: /low activity/ in the left (decreased positive affect and
approach behaviours to rewarding stimuli) and \high activity\ in the right (increased negative affect,
anxiety symptoms, hypervigilance); Amygdala: \high activity\ (the perception of threat and in
directing attention)
Disruptions in rhythms causal factors for unipolar depression
abnormalities in circadian (sleep-wake) and seasonal (sunlight) rhythms
Psychosocial theories of the causes of depressive disorder
Beck's cognitive theory (negative thinking cognitive triad: (1) self (2) world (3) future) and the
reformulated helplessness (unable to control negative situations) and hopelessness (nothing can be
done to change things) theories, which are formulated as diathesis-stress models; a tendency to
ruminate about one's mood or problems exacerbates their effects; [personality variables such as
neuroticism may also serve as diatheses for depression]
Psychodynamic and interpersonal theories of unipolar depression
early experiences (especially early losses and the quality of the parent-child relationship) as setting up
a predisposition for depression.
Concepts Complete Questions With Verified
Answers
What is a mood disorder?
Extreme variations in mood—either low or high—are the predominant feature.
What are the primary distinctions between depressive disorders and bipolar disorders?
Unipolar: only depressive episodes. Bipolar: depressive and manic/hypomanic episodes.
How prevalent are the two types of mood disorders?
Major mood disorders = all anxiety disorders together.
How do the prevalence rates of depressive and bipolar disorders differ between groups?
In the US unipolar major depression is higher: in women than men, in European white Americans and
Hispanics than African Americans, individuals in lower socioeconomic groups, and those who have
high levels of accomplishments in the arts
Case Study: Jennifer (Major Depressive Disorder)
major life stressor 6 months prior: husband of 15 years left her for a younger woman he met at work.
Several weeks after he had moved out, she became increasingly sad, cried for extended periods
throughout the day several times per week, stopped enjoying things, her body was heavy, she lacked
energy and lost work, could not manage her home, forgot to pick up her children and make dinner,
eating and sleeping declined drastically, hours spent lying in bed, anxiety increased, worries over what
would happen but unable to change leading to further sadness, idealized and then explicit and
frequent thoughts of suicide
What are the major features that differentiate dysthymic disorder and major depressive disorder?
Major depressive disorder/MDD/major depression: must be in a major depressive episode and never
have had a manic, hypo-manic, or mixed episode. Persistent depressive disorder/formerly called
dysthymic disorder/dysthymia: persistently depressed mood most of the day, for more days than not,
for at least 2 years (1 year for children and adolescents).
What often precedes depression?
Stressful life events; largest stressors: the loss of life and creation of new life - psychologists have
struggled with how to appropriately diagnose (or not) a person's response to them.
What are the common specifiers of major depressive disorder?
Melancholic: Three of the following: early morning awakening, depression worse in the morning,
marked psychomotor agitation or retardation, loss of appetite or weight, excessive guilt, qualitatively
different depressed mood. Psychotic: Delusions or hallucinations (usually mood congruent); feelings
of guilt and worthlessness common. Atypical: Mood reactivity—brightens to positive events; two of
the four following symptoms: weight gain or increase in appetite, hypersomnia, leaden paralysis
(arms and legs feel as heavy as lead), being acutely sensitive to interpersonal rejection. Catatonic: A
range of psychomotor symptoms from motoric immobility to extensive psychomotor activity, as well
as mutism and rigidity. Seasonal: At least two or more episodes in past 2 years that have occurred at
the same time (usually fall or winter), and full remission at the same time (usually spring). No other
non-seasonal episodes in the same 2-year period
, Distinguish between recurrence and relapse.
Relapse: the return of symptoms within a fairly short period of time, likely due to the underlying
situation not having resolved. Recurrence: onset of a new episode of depression; 40 to 50 % of people
who experience a depressive episode; increases with the number of prior episodes and when there
are comorbid disorders; often have some depressive symptoms half to two-thirds of the time; those
with residual symptoms or with significant psychosocial impairment following an initial depressive
episode are more likely to have recurrences than those whose symptoms remit completely
Genetic causal factors for unipolar depression
moderate contribution to the vulnerability for major depression and probably dysthymia as well
Biochemical causal factors for unipolar depression
monoamine theory of depression: (60's thought to at least sometimes be due/now only correlated) to
an absolute or relative depletion of one or both of serotonin and norepinephrine at important
receptor sites in the brain.
Neuroendocrinological causal factors for unipolar depression
{^HPA/vHPTA/vDexamethasone} ^HPA: increased reactivity of the HPA axis leads to increased cortisol
levels; {vHPTA} low thyroid levels/dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary thyroid axis; immune
system dysregulation (activation of the inflammatory response system-increased proinflammatory
cytokines such as interleukin and interferon); {vDexamethasone} (suppressor of plasma cortisol)
either fails to suppress or fails to sustain its suppression of cortisol in ~ 45% of patients with serious
depression (seen in other disorders such as panic disorder; nonspecific indicator of generalized
mental distress)
Neurophysiological causal factors for unipolar depression
{OP-H-AC/DP/AP\A} Orbital Prefrontal cortex: -decreased volume- (responsivity to reward);
Hippocampus: -decreased volume- [cell death - may precede onset] (learning and memory and
regulation of ACTH); Anterior Cingulate cortex: both -decreased volume- and /low activity/ (selective
attention - self-regulation and adaptability); Dorsolateral Pre-frontal cortex: -low activity- (decreased
cognitive control); Anterior Prefrontal cortex: /low activity/ in the left (decreased positive affect and
approach behaviours to rewarding stimuli) and \high activity\ in the right (increased negative affect,
anxiety symptoms, hypervigilance); Amygdala: \high activity\ (the perception of threat and in
directing attention)
Disruptions in rhythms causal factors for unipolar depression
abnormalities in circadian (sleep-wake) and seasonal (sunlight) rhythms
Psychosocial theories of the causes of depressive disorder
Beck's cognitive theory (negative thinking cognitive triad: (1) self (2) world (3) future) and the
reformulated helplessness (unable to control negative situations) and hopelessness (nothing can be
done to change things) theories, which are formulated as diathesis-stress models; a tendency to
ruminate about one's mood or problems exacerbates their effects; [personality variables such as
neuroticism may also serve as diatheses for depression]
Psychodynamic and interpersonal theories of unipolar depression
early experiences (especially early losses and the quality of the parent-child relationship) as setting up
a predisposition for depression.
