Apathy and avolition are best described as:

• A. Apathy is lack of interest and emotional engagement; avolition is decreased motivation to initiate and persist in activities; both can occur in depression, schizophrenia, or neurodegenerative disease
• B. Apathy refers to increased energy; avolition to increased motivation
• C. Apathy refers to fear; avolition to anxiety
• D. Apathy and avolition only occur in healthy individuals

Answer: (A)

Apathy and avolition describe reductions in motivation and engagement with activities. Apathy is a lack of interest or emotional engagement with people or activities, while avolition is a decreased drive to initiate and persist in goals and tasks. Together they reflect diminished initiation and emotional responsiveness, commonly seen as negative symptoms in conditions like depression, schizophrenia, or various neurodegenerative diseases. They are not simply about fear or anxiety, and they aren’t normal in healthy individuals. The other options describe increased energy or motivation, or tie these terms to fear/anxiety or to healthy people, which doesn’t fit how apathy and avolition present.