Schizophrenia — Clinical Features MCQ — NEET PG Practice Question | NEETPGAI
Schizophrenia — Clinical Features
easy
brain Psychiatry
A 28-year-old man with a 3-year history of schizophrenia is being evaluated for his clinical features. Which of the following is NOT a recognized positive symptom of schizophrenia?
A. Alogia
B. Delusions of reference
C. Command hallucinations
D. Disorganized speech
Explanation
Positive vs. Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia
Key Point
Positive symptoms represent an excess or distortion of normal mental functions (hallucinations, delusions, disorganized behavior/speech). Negative symptoms represent a diminution or loss of normal functions (alogia, avolition, affective flattening, anhedonia).
Positive Symptoms (Present in the Question)
Delusions of reference: False belief that external events have special personal significance
Command hallucinations: Auditory hallucinations instructing the patient to perform actions
Disorganized speech: Incoherent, tangential, or circumstantial speech reflecting thought disorder
Negative Symptoms (The Correct Answer)
Alogia: Poverty of speech; reduced quantity and spontaneity of speech
Other negative symptoms: Avolition, affective flattening, anhedonia, apathy
High-YieldNEET PG
Alogia is a negative symptom (loss of normal function), not a positive symptom. It reflects a reduction in the quantity and quality of speech output, often accompanied by reduced thought content.
Clinical Pearl
Negative symptoms are often more disabling and harder to treat than positive symptoms. They correlate more strongly with poor functional outcomes and cognitive impairment.
Mnemonic
PAID = Positive symptoms (Additions): Psychosis, Auditory hallucinations, Ideas of reference, Disorganized behavior. NANA = Negative symptoms (Subtractions): No speech (alogia), Avolition, No affect (blunting), Anhedonia.
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