UWorld Internal Medicine Practice Test 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

The condition characterized by neurological deficits in a young woman with a history of transient optic neuritis and urinary incontinence is multiple sclerosis (MS).

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic autoimmune disorder that affects the central nervous system, leading to demyelination and a variety of neurological symptoms. In young women, it is often the case that the first indication of MS can be episodes of optic neuritis, which may manifest as temporary vision loss or visual disturbances. This transient condition reflects inflammation of the optic nerve and is a common initial presentation of MS.

The urinary incontinence experienced by the patient is another hallmark of MS. This is due to lesions in the areas of the central nervous system that control bladder function, resulting in symptoms like urgency, frequency, or incontinence. The combination of these symptoms—especially in a young woman—strongly suggests multiple sclerosis.

In contrast, diabetic polyneuropathy typically presents with sensory or motor neuropathy due to long-standing diabetes, while acute disseminated encephalomyelitis is an autoimmune response often following an infection or vaccination with a more sudden onset and different symptomatology. Guillain-Barré syndrome, an acute polyneuropathy often preceding an infectious process, generally presents with symmetrical ascending weakness and does not typically