Exam 36 · 第36回 · 認知症の理解 (Understanding Dementia)
Question 40 問40
認知症（dementia）の行動・心理症状（ＢＰＳＤ）であるアパシー（apathy）に関する次の記述のうち，適切なものを1つ選びなさい。
- 感情の起伏がみられない。
- 将来に希望がもてない。
- 気持ちが落ち込む。
- 理想どおりにいかず悩む。
- 自分を責める。
Translation
Among the following statements about apathy, a behavioral and psychological symptom of dementia (BPSD), choose the 1 option that is appropriate.
- There is no rise and fall in emotion.
- The person cannot feel hope for the future.
- The person's mood sinks (feels down).
- The person is troubled because things do not go the way they ideally want.
- The person blames themselves.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: 1
Why 1 is correct
Apathy is a state in which a person loses motivation and initiative. They stop acting on their own, and their emotions no longer rise and fall — for example, feeling happy or sad.
Why 2 is wrong
"Cannot feel hope for the future" is a way of thinking seen in a depressed state. A person with apathy worries less about the future in general — this kind of worrying itself decreases.
Why 3 is wrong
"Mood sinks" is a symptom of a depressed state. Apathy is not a low mood — it is a state where the emotions stop moving at all.
Why 4 is wrong
"Troubled because things do not go the way they ideally want" describes a person who still has goals and is troubled by them. With apathy, motivation itself is gone, so this kind of worrying does not happen.
Why 5 is wrong
"Blames themselves" is the self-blame seen in a depressed state. A person with apathy rarely blames themselves, and often does not express their distress on their own.
Key point
Apathy (アパシー) means losing motivation and showing no ups and downs in emotion.
Key terms
- アパシー
- A state in which motivation and initiative are lost, and the person stops acting on their own. Also called apathy.
- 行動・心理症状
- BPSD. Symptoms such as anxiety, agitation, delusions, and apathy that appear in addition to the core symptoms of dementia.
- 感情の起伏
- The rise and fall of feelings, such as happiness and sadness.
Practice all 375 questions in the app
Exams 36–38, all 13 subjects, with furigana and an English explanation of every choice. The subject 「認知症の理解」 is free.