Which of the following best describes avolition?

A. Mesolimbic pathway is associated with reward, motivation, and emotions and is hyperactive in schizophrenia, leading to positive symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking. Antipsychotic medications work by blocking dopamine (D2) receptors in this pathway, reducing psychotic symptoms.

B. Nigrostriatal pathway controls motor function and coordination. Dopamine blockade in this pathway leads to extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) such as tremors, rigidity, and tardive dyskinesia, which are common side effects of first-generation antipsychotics (typical antipsychotics).

C. Tuberoinfundibular pathway regulates prolactin secretion. Dopamine inhibits prolactin release, so blocking D2 receptors with antipsychotics leads to increased prolactin levels, causing gynecomastia, galactorrhea, and menstrual irregularities.

D. Mesocortical pathway is responsible for cognition, motivation, and emotional regulation. In schizophrenia, this pathway is hypoactive, contributing to negative symptoms such as apathy, social withdrawal, and cognitive impairment.

A. Worry about health despite no symptoms. This describes illness anxiety disorder (formerly hypochondriasis), where individuals have an excessive fear of having a serious illness despite minimal or no physical symptoms. Unlike factitious disorder, these individuals are not fabricating symptoms but are genuinely convinced they are sick.

B. Normal voluntary and sensory dysfunction. This does not describe any recognized psychiatric disorder. However, conversion disorder (functional neurological symptom disorder) involves involuntary neurological symptoms (e.g., paralysis, blindness) without a medical cause, whereas factitious disorder involves intentional symptom fabrication.

C. Worry is out of proportion to the symptoms. This is characteristic of somatic symptom disorder (SSD), where individuals have excessive concern and distress over real but often minor physical symptoms. Unlike factitious disorder, their symptoms are not deliberately produced or exaggerated for attention.

D. Deliberate exaggeration and fabricated symptoms. Factitious disorder (formerly Munchausen syndrome) involves intentionally faking, exaggerating, or inducing medical symptoms to assume the "sick role". Unlike malingering (which is done for external rewards like financial gain), factitious disorder is driven by an internal psychological need for medical attention.