Which pairing is correct? Episodic — mood disorder characterized by recurrent depressive episodes with symptom-free intervals.

• A. Episodic — mood disorder characterized by recurrent depressive episodes with symptom-free intervals.
• B. Episodic — constant symptoms without remission.
• C. Episodic — unrelated to mood disorders.
• D. Episodic — a type of anxiety disorder.

Answer: (A)

Episodic describes a pattern where the condition comes in distinct episodes with periods of remission in between. In mood disorders, depressive episodes can recur and be separated by symptom-free intervals, which is exactly what “recurrent depressive episodes with symptom-free intervals” conveys. This contrasts with a chronic pattern where symptoms never remit, and with labels that place the condition in other disorder families (like anxiety) where the primary symptoms aren’t mood-focused. So the pairing is correct because it matches the way episodic mood disorders manifest: episodes of depressive symptoms followed by times of normal functioning.