Question 1

Which convinces researchers that panic disorder is biologically different from generalized anxiety disorder?

Accepted Answer

Research indicates that panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder involve different brain circuits, suggesting a biological distinction between the two disorders.

Question 2

The drug treatment that is MOST effective in treating panic disorders is like that used to treat:

Accepted Answer

The drug treatment that is most effective in treating panic disorders is like that used to treat depression. This is because panic disorders and depression share some of the same neurochemical imbalances that can be addressed by antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). These drugs have been found to be highly effective in reducing the frequency and severity of panic attacks in individuals with panic disorder.

Question 3

Which statement is true about drug and cognitive treatments for panic disorder?

Accepted Answer

Numerous studies have shown that cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and other cognitive treatments are at least as effective as medication, if not more so, and the long-term benefits of CBT often persist beyond those of medication. While medication can be effective in controlling symptoms, it does not address the underlying causes of panic disorder, whereas cognitive treatments can help patients develop coping skills and techniques to manage anxiety and prevent future panic attacks. Therefore, the best choice is C, which states that cognitive treatments have proven to be at least as effective as medication, if not more so.

Question 4

Antidepressants and benzodiazepines such as alprazolam (Xanax) have been found to be successful in treating:

Accepted Answer

Antidepressants and benzodiazepines such as alprazolam (Xanax) have been found to be successful in treating panic disorders. They are not typically used as first-line treatments for phobias, generalized anxiety disorders, or obsessive-compulsive disorders.

Question 5

People who experience a positive event, get excited, breath harder, and have an increase in their heart rate, then interpret the symptoms as a heart attack, are experiencing what cognitive theorists call:

Accepted Answer

This phenomenon is known as anxiety sensitivity, which is the tendency to interpret physical symptoms as a sign of imminent danger. This can lead to increased anxiety and avoidance behaviors.

Question 6

Panic disorder appears to be related to abnormal activity of which neurotransmitter?

Accepted Answer

Panic disorder is related to abnormal activity of norepinephrine, a neurotransmitter that regulates the brain's response to stress and is associated with the "fight or flight" response. Abnormal levels of norepinephrine can cause panic attacks and other symptoms of panic disorder.

Question 7

Which statement about the use of antidepressants to treat panic disorders is MOST accurate?

Accepted Answer

Studies have suggested that all antidepressant drugs that restore norepinephrine levels can help in preventing or reducing panic symptoms. Antianxiety drugs may also be used but are generally not the preferred treatment for panic disorders. Antidepressants must be taken regularly according to a specific dosage plan, rather than "as needed." While not all individuals may respond to antidepressant treatment, the overall effectiveness is usually higher than 25 percent.

Question 8

When would religious rituals and superstitious behavior (such as not stepping on cracks) be considered compulsive behaviors?

Accepted Answer

Religious rituals and superstitious behavior would be considered compulsive when they interfere with daily function and cause distress. This is because compulsive behaviors involve a sense of being unable to control or resist engaging in the behavior, even when it causes problems or distress. If the behavior is causing distress and interfering with daily life, it may be indicative of a more serious issue, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Question 9

Which therapy is an effective long-term, nonpharmacological treatment for panic attack that involves teaching patients to interpret their physical sensations accurately?

Accepted Answer

Cognitive therapy focuses on changing the patient's negative thought patterns and beliefs about their physical symptoms, which can help to reduce the frequency and severity of panic attacks over the long term. This approach does not involve medication and is therefore a nonpharmacological treatment option.

Question 10

Luis and Ted both get racing hearts once in a while. When it happens to Ted, he panics and thinks he is going to die. Gradually, he has developed panic attacks if he even thinks that his heart is beating strongly. When Luis's heart starts beating strongly, he looks to his current activity to understand what is producing the sensations (hard work). Ted apparently has a high degree of:

Accepted Answer

Ted displays a high degree of anxiety sensitivity, which is the fear of anxiety-related sensations and the interpretation of those sensations as harmful. In contrast, Luis demonstrates a more adaptive response by trying to understand the cause of the sensations in context. Therefore, fear (A) and anxiety (B) are not specific enough to describe Ted's condition, and obsessive imagery (C) is not mentioned in the scenario.

Question 11

When someone who is about to leave for work checks the stove 10 times to make sure it is turned off, that person is exhibiting a(n):

Accepted Answer

Checking the stove repeatedly is a behavior characteristic of a compulsion, which is a repetitive and rigid behavior or mental act that a person feels driven to perform in response to an obsession or according to rules that must be applied rigidly.

Question 12

The proportion of panic-attack sufferers who are helped at least somewhat by antidepressant drugs is about:

Accepted Answer

The answer of The proportion of panic-attack sufferers who are...

Question 13

What type of drug is alprazolam (Xanax)?

Accepted Answer

Alprazolam (Xanax) is a benzodiazepine medication used to treat anxiety and panic disorders. It works by enhancing the effects of the neurotransmitter GABA in the brain, which helps to decrease feelings of anxiety and promote relaxation.

Question 14

According to cognitive theorists, people experiencing anxiety sensitivity:

Accepted Answer

Cognitive theorists propose that those with anxiety sensitivity are hypersensitive to bodily sensations, but struggle to accurately interpret them. They may perceive innocuous physical sensations as a sign of impending danger or harm.

Question 15

People with panic disorder experience body sensations:

Accepted Answer

People with panic disorder experience body sensations more intensely than those without panic disorder. These sensations can include sweating, palpitations, chest pain, shortness of breath, and dizziness. This heightened sensitivity can lead to panic attacks, which are intense episodes of fear that often involve physical symptoms.

Question 16

Antidepressant drugs are frequently effective in treating panic attacks. The disorder is related to levels of the neurotransmitter:

Accepted Answer

Norepinephrine is a neurotransmitter that is closely related to panic attacks. Antidepressant drugs that affect the levels of norepinephrine are often effective in treating panic attacks.

Question 17

The phobia MOST often associated with panic disorder is:

Accepted Answer

Agoraphobia is the most commonly associated phobia with panic disorder. Agoraphobia is the fear of being in situations or places where escape may be difficult, embarrassing or where help may not be available in case of a panic attack. This fear can cause individuals to avoid certain situations or places and can escalate to the point where leaving the safety of their own home becomes difficult.

Question 18

The cognitive explanation for panic disorders is that people who have them:

Accepted Answer

The cognitive explanation for panic disorders is that people with panic disorders misinterpret bodily sensations, leading them to believe that they are in danger and to experience a panic attack.

Question 19

Imagine that researchers investigating panic disorder gave a study participant a drug that caused that person to hyperventilate and the person's heart to beat rapidly. The participant would have been given a(n):

Accepted Answer

The scenario described in the question is a classic example of a biological challenge test. Such tests are used to trigger physiological symptoms of panic disorder in order to study and better understand the disorder. During a biological challenge test, a person's physiological response to a drug or another stimulus is closely monitored while they experience panic sensations. This test helps to identify the underlying neural and biochemical mechanisms of panic disorder, as well as the physiological processes that contribute to the disorder.

Question 20

People who experience obsessions show:

Accepted Answer

Obsessions are characterized by intrusive and unwanted thoughts, images, or urges that are foreign to the person experiencing them. These thoughts are often repeated and persistent, causing significant distress and anxiety. People with obsessions generally recognize that their thoughts are not rational, but find them difficult to ignore or control.

Quiz 5: Anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive, and Related Disorders