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
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
