NEUROBIOLOGY 5357 EXAM
1 QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS
What are the three major hypotheses of psychosis and their neurotransmitter networks?
- Correct Answers -Dopamine theory - hyperactive dopamine at D2 receptors in the
mesolimbic pathway
Glutamate theory - NMDA receptor hypofunction
Serotonin theory - 5HT2A receptor hyperfunction in the cortex
(Stahl Ch 4, p. 79)
Briefly explain the dopamine hypothesis of the positive and negative symptoms of
schizophrenia. - Correct Answers -The dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia consists
of:
There is too much dopamine activity in the mesolimbic dopamine pathway, which leads
to positive symptoms (such as hallucinations and delusions).
There is also too little dopamine activity in the mesocortical dopamine pathway, which
leads to negative symptoms (such as blunting of affect, poverty of speech, anhedonia,
and so on).
What pathway is responsible for regulating dopamine in the hypothalamus and affects
the release of prolactin?
a Mesolimbic pathway
b Substantia nigra
c Mesocortical pathway
d Tuberoinfundibular pathway - Correct Answers -Tuberoinfundibular pathway
Drug-induced Parkinson's is caused by a decrease of dopamine in what pathway?
a Substantia nigra
b Mesolimbic pathway
c Mesocortical pathway
d Nigrostriatal pathway - Correct Answers -Nigrostriatal pathway
Brodmann's areas are differentiated by the:
a Predominant neurotransmitter
b Afferent connections
c Cellular architecture
d Cortical morphology - Correct Answers -Cellular architecture
, All of the following are true about the hippocampus except that it:
a Is disrupted by frontal lobotomy
b Is involved with memory
c Contains undifferentiated stem cells
d Is smaller in some psychiatric disorders - Correct Answers -Is disrupted by frontal
lobotomy
Which of the following is the most likely impetus for upregulation of D2 receptors on a
striatal dopamine neuron?
A D2 antagonist persistently binds to the receptor
Correct. Antagonists can oppose neurotransmitter actions, potentially signaling the
neuron to upregulate synthesis of that receptor type.
A new receptor is bound and put to use
A D2 agonist persistently binds to the receptor
A bound receptor is taken out of circulation - Correct Answers -D2 antagonist
persistently binds to the receptor
Correct. Antagonists can oppose neurotransmitter actions, potentially signaling the
neuron to upregulate synthesis of that receptor type.
What are the molecular mechanisms of epigenetics?
a Molecular gates are closed by deacetylation and/or methylation of histones,
preventing access of transcription factors to genes, thus silencing them
b Molecular gates are opened by deacetylation and/or methylation of histones, allowing
transcription factors access to genes, thus activating them
c Molecular gates are opened by acetylation and/or demethylation of histones, allowing
transcription factors access to genes, thus activating them - Correct Answers -the
answer is NOT
Molecular gates are opened by deacetylation and/or methylation of histones, allowing
transcription factors access to genes, thus activating them
N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors are activated by:
Glycine and depolarization
Glutamate
Glycine
Glutamate and depolarization
Glutamate and glycine
Depolarization
Glutamate, glycine, and depolarization - Correct Answers -the answer is NOT
Glutamate and depolarization
Which of the following statements is true about the cerebellum:
Has been implicated with autism
Is similar to the motor cortex
Solely functions to support movement
Is relatively small in humans - Correct Answers -Has been implicated with autism
1 QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS
What are the three major hypotheses of psychosis and their neurotransmitter networks?
- Correct Answers -Dopamine theory - hyperactive dopamine at D2 receptors in the
mesolimbic pathway
Glutamate theory - NMDA receptor hypofunction
Serotonin theory - 5HT2A receptor hyperfunction in the cortex
(Stahl Ch 4, p. 79)
Briefly explain the dopamine hypothesis of the positive and negative symptoms of
schizophrenia. - Correct Answers -The dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia consists
of:
There is too much dopamine activity in the mesolimbic dopamine pathway, which leads
to positive symptoms (such as hallucinations and delusions).
There is also too little dopamine activity in the mesocortical dopamine pathway, which
leads to negative symptoms (such as blunting of affect, poverty of speech, anhedonia,
and so on).
What pathway is responsible for regulating dopamine in the hypothalamus and affects
the release of prolactin?
a Mesolimbic pathway
b Substantia nigra
c Mesocortical pathway
d Tuberoinfundibular pathway - Correct Answers -Tuberoinfundibular pathway
Drug-induced Parkinson's is caused by a decrease of dopamine in what pathway?
a Substantia nigra
b Mesolimbic pathway
c Mesocortical pathway
d Nigrostriatal pathway - Correct Answers -Nigrostriatal pathway
Brodmann's areas are differentiated by the:
a Predominant neurotransmitter
b Afferent connections
c Cellular architecture
d Cortical morphology - Correct Answers -Cellular architecture
, All of the following are true about the hippocampus except that it:
a Is disrupted by frontal lobotomy
b Is involved with memory
c Contains undifferentiated stem cells
d Is smaller in some psychiatric disorders - Correct Answers -Is disrupted by frontal
lobotomy
Which of the following is the most likely impetus for upregulation of D2 receptors on a
striatal dopamine neuron?
A D2 antagonist persistently binds to the receptor
Correct. Antagonists can oppose neurotransmitter actions, potentially signaling the
neuron to upregulate synthesis of that receptor type.
A new receptor is bound and put to use
A D2 agonist persistently binds to the receptor
A bound receptor is taken out of circulation - Correct Answers -D2 antagonist
persistently binds to the receptor
Correct. Antagonists can oppose neurotransmitter actions, potentially signaling the
neuron to upregulate synthesis of that receptor type.
What are the molecular mechanisms of epigenetics?
a Molecular gates are closed by deacetylation and/or methylation of histones,
preventing access of transcription factors to genes, thus silencing them
b Molecular gates are opened by deacetylation and/or methylation of histones, allowing
transcription factors access to genes, thus activating them
c Molecular gates are opened by acetylation and/or demethylation of histones, allowing
transcription factors access to genes, thus activating them - Correct Answers -the
answer is NOT
Molecular gates are opened by deacetylation and/or methylation of histones, allowing
transcription factors access to genes, thus activating them
N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors are activated by:
Glycine and depolarization
Glutamate
Glycine
Glutamate and depolarization
Glutamate and glycine
Depolarization
Glutamate, glycine, and depolarization - Correct Answers -the answer is NOT
Glutamate and depolarization
Which of the following statements is true about the cerebellum:
Has been implicated with autism
Is similar to the motor cortex
Solely functions to support movement
Is relatively small in humans - Correct Answers -Has been implicated with autism
