A 75-year-old client is admitted to hospital with diagnosis of dementia of Alzheimer’s type and depression. The symptom that is unrelated to depression would be?

Correct Answer: C. Shallow of labile affect

With depression, there is little or no emotional involvement therefore little alteration in affect. The common features of all the depressive disorders are sadness, emptiness, or irritable mood, accompanied by somatic and cognitive changes that significantly affect the individual’s capacity to function.

• Option A: Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Fortunately, it is also treatable. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease your ability to function at work and at home.
• Option B: A dysphoric mood state may be expressed by patients as sadness, heaviness, numbness, or sometimes irritability and mood swings. They often report a loss of interest or pleasure in their usual activities, difficulty concentrating, or loss of energy and motivation. Their thinking is often negative, frequently with feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, or helplessness.
• Option D: Depression—also called “clinical depression” or a “depressive disorder”—is a mood disorder that causes distressing symptoms that affect how you feel, think, and handle daily activities, such as sleeping, eating, or working. To be diagnosed with depression, symptoms must be present most of the day, nearly every day for at least 2 weeks.