Why Is It Particularly Difficult to Properly Diagnose Mental Disorders

question 83

Multiple Choice

Why is it particularly difficult to properly diagnose mental disorders in older adults?

• A) Side effects of medications may mimic the symptoms of certain disorders.
• B) Clinicians are largely unfamiliar with the disorders specific to this age group.
• C) Similar symptoms are indicative of more than one disorder.
• D) Older adults often are afraid to get help for their problems.
• E) Older individuals are less able to explain their problems than younger patients.

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Definitions:

Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia

A condition characterized by recurrent episodes of severe pain in the 9th cranial nerve area.

Bilateral CTS

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome affecting both hands, characterized by numbness, tingling, and pain due to median nerve compression.

Spinal Nerves

Nerves that originate from the spinal cord, carrying motor, sensory, and autonomic signals between the spinal cord and the body.

Cerebral Infarction

A type of stroke that occurs when blood flow to part of the brain is blocked, leading to the death of brain tissue.