An undertrial prisoner, brought for fitness evaluation, responds to 'What are two plus two?' with 'Five', to 'How many legs does a cow have?' with 'Three', and to 'What colour is snow?' with 'Black'. His errors are all near-misses rather than random, and formal cognitive testing shows intact function. What is the term for this phenomenon?
- A Perseveration
- B Circumstantiality
- C Vorbeireden (Ganser syndrome) ✓
- D Neologism
Correct answer: C. Vorbeireden (Ganser syndrome)
Explanation
Ganser syndrome, described originally in prisoners, consists of approximate answers: the patient gives answers that are plainly wrong but hover close to the correct one, indicating the right answer is known. It is classified among dissociative disorders in ICD convention followed in Indian exams. Circumstantiality is excessive irrelevant detail before reaching the point, perseveration is repetition of a previous response, and neologisms are newly coined words.
Reference: Shorter Oxford Textbook of Psychiatry, 7th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
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