UPPSC-2021
Mental Health Nursing
Easy
Deficiency of serotonin causes?
Appeared in: UPPSC-2021
Explanation
- Serotonin (5-HT) is a key neurotransmitter involved in regulating mood, happiness, and well-being.
- The monoamine hypothesis of depression posits that a deficiency in the brain of monoamine neurotransmitters, particularly serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine, is a primary cause of depressive symptoms.
- This is supported by the efficacy of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), which are first-line antidepressants that work by increasing the amount of available serotonin in the brain's synapses.
- Symptoms of low serotonin can include low mood, loss of interest or pleasure (anhedonia), sleep disturbances, and changes in appetite.
Why Other Options Were Wrong
- Option B: Schizophrenia is primarily associated with an excess of dopamine activity in the mesolimbic pathway, not a deficiency of serotonin. While serotonin pathways are also dysregulated, a simple deficiency is not the cause.
- Option C: Mania, the elevated mood state in bipolar disorder, is linked to an excess or overactivity of neurotransmitters, particularly norepinephrine and dopamine, not a deficiency.
- Option D: Mental retardation, now termed Intellectual Disability, is a neurodevelopmental disorder. Its causes are complex and varied (e.g., genetic, prenatal injury) and it is not caused by a simple deficiency of a single neurotransmitter.
Related Visual
Clinical Relevance
- Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Neurotransmitter Imbalance in Psychiatric Disorders as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
- Understanding the neurobiological basis of depression is crucial for nurses to effectively educate patients about their condition and the rationale for their prescribed medications (e.g., SSRIs).
- This knowledge helps destigmatize mental illness by framing it as a medical condition with a biological basis, similar to diabetes or hypertension, which can improve treatment adherence.
- Nurses must monitor for and manage the side effects of serotonergic medications, such as GI upset, sexual dysfunction, and the potentially life-threatening serotonin syndrome.
How to Approach the Question
- First, identify the key term in the question: 'deficiency of serotonin'.
- This is a factual recall question that tests your knowledge of basic psychopharmacology and pathophysiology of common mental health disorders.
- Systematically review each option, recalling the primary neurotransmitter theory associated with it.
- Recall that depression is linked to low levels of monoamines, including serotonin (the 'monoamine hypothesis').
- Eliminate other options based on their known pathophysiology: Schizophrenia (high dopamine), Mania (high norepinephrine/dopamine), and Mental Retardation (neurodevelopmental).
- Confirm your answer by remembering that the most common class of antidepressants, SSRIs, works by increasing serotonin levels.
Concept Tested & Keywords
- Concept Tested: Neurotransmitter Imbalance in Psychiatric Disorders
- Stem keywords: serotonin, deficiency
- Lead-in keywords: causes
Question ID
QUdw0aQAH22TaFUxLdSMQ7
Reference Book
E6 Kaplan Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry-2022 (pp 1-3768 of 3768) pp. 2580-2582, 1125-1127
E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) p. 16405-16407
Practise the full UPPSC-2021
Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.
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