1. What are the four main components of a mental status examination (MSE)? How would you conduct an MSE for a child, an adolescent, and an older adult? - The four main components of an MSE are appearance, behavior, cognition, and mood/affect. To conduct an MSE for a child, the nurse practitioner should use age-appropriate language and tools, such as drawings, toys, or games, to assess the child's mental state. The nurse practitioner should also observe the child's interaction with the caregiver and the environment. To conduct an MSE for an adolescent, the nurse practitioner should establish rapport and trust, respect the adolescent's privacy and autonomy, and use open-ended questions to elicit the adolescent's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. The nurse practitioner should also assess the adolescent's risk factors, such as substance use, sexual activity, or suicidal ideation. To conduct an MSE for an older adult, the nurse practitioner should be aware of the normal age-related changes in cognition and mood, such as mild memory loss or decreased energy. The nurse practitioner should also screen for cognitive impairment, depression, anxiety, or dementia using standardized tools, such as the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) or the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). 2. What are the diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD) according to the DSM-5? What are some evidence-based pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions for MDD? - The diagnostic criteria for MDD according to the DSM-5 are: a) five or more of the following symptoms during the same two-week period, representing a change from previous functioning: depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day; markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all or almost all activities most of the day, nearly every day; significant weight loss or gain, or decrease or increase in appetite; insomnia or hypersomnia nearly every day; psychomotor agitation or retardation nearly every day; fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day; feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt nearly every day; diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness nearly every day; recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal ideation, or a suicide attempt or plan; b) the symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning; c) the episode is not attributable to the physiological effects of a substance or another medical condition; d) the episode is not better explained by another mental disorder; e) there has never been a manic episode or a hypomanic episode. Some evidence-based pharmacological interventions for MDD are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), bupropion, mirtazapine, and esketamine. Some evidence-based nonpharmacological interventions for MDD are cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), interpersonal therapy (IPT), problem-solving therapy (PST), behavioral activation (BA), mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), and bright light therapy. 3. What are the diagnostic criteria for bipolar I disorder according to the DSM-5? What are some evidence-based pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions for bipolar I disorder? - The diagnostic criteria for bipolar I disorder according to the DSM-5 are: a) at least one manic episode that lasts at least seven days and is present most of the day, nearly every day; b) the manic episode is accompanied by three or more of the following symptoms: inflated self-esteem or grandiosity; decreased need for sleep; more talkative than usual or pressure to keep talking; flight of ideas or subjective experience that thoughts are racing; distractibility; increase in goal-directed activity or psychomotor agitation; excessive involvement in activities that have a high potential for painful consequences; c) the manic episode causes marked impairment in social or occupational functioning, necessitates hospitalization to prevent harm to self or others, or has psychotic features; d) the manic episode is not attributable to the physiological effects of a substance or another medical condition. Some evidencebased pharmacological interventions for bipolar I disorder are mood stabilizers, such as lithium, valproate, carbamazepine, lamotrigine; antipsychotics, such as olanzapine,