Exam 1: NSG552/ NSG 552 (Latest
2026/2027) Psychopharmacology
Exam| Grade A Questions and
Verified Answers| 100% Correct
Answer: Safety Tolerability Efficacy
Practicality Treatment accessibility Treatment
compliance
Q: What are the 6 general principles of
psychopharmacological treatment?
Answer: How the drug moves in the body. (ex.
Where is it absorbed? How and where is it metabolized?
Where is it excreted?)
Q: Pharmacokinetics
Answer: What the drug does to the body.
(consider mechanism of action)
Q: Pharmacodynamics
Answer: Referred to as Typical Antipsychotics.
Most have strong bond with D2 receptors only cause
EPS symptoms faster due to prolonged receptor
dissociation have more dangerous side effect profiles
have been around longer more effective at treating
positive symptoms less expensive. (Ex. Haloperidol
Chlorpromazine Thioridazine Fluphenazine)
Q: Define First-generation antipsychotics
Answer: Referred to as Atypical Antipsychotics.
Most have a weak bond with D2 receptors and block
serotonin receptors leading to anti-depressive and
anxiolytic effects. They cause less EPS due to rapid
receptor disassociation which leads to rapid dopamine
neurotransmission. Have less dangerous side effect
profiles but can cause metabolic syndromes have been
,around shorter time more expensive more effective at
treating negative symptoms but can treat positive
symptoms as well long-acting injections available for
several of these. (Ex. Risperidone Clozapine Q:
uetiapine Aripiprazole Ziprasidone)
Q: Define Second-generation antipsychotics
Answer: Side effects caused by certain
antipsychotic medications which include: involuntary
or uncontrollable movements. tremors. muscle
contractions.
Q: Extra Pyramidal Symptoms (EPS)
Answer: A neurological disorder characterize by
involuntary movement of the face and jaw.
Q: Tardive dyskinesia
Answer: Occurs through chronic use of
antagonists which causes an increase in the number of
receptors externalization of receptors and increased
sensitivity of the receptors. Prolonged use of
antagonist -> Up-regulation of receptors -> Sudden
withdrawal of antagonist -> increased number of
receptors and increased sensitivity of receptors *YOU
MUST GRADUALLY TAPER A DRUG TO AVOID BINDING TO ALL
NEW RECEPTORS FROM UPREGULATION
Q: Upregulation
Answer: Occurs by chronic exposure of agonists
which causes decreased number of receptors
internalization of receptors and decreased
sensitivity of the receptors. Prolonged use of agonist
-> down-regulation of receptors -> decreased
effectiveness of agonist mediated clinical response.
You have two options: 1 Increase the drug dose OR 2
Switch to another drug(BEST OPTION)
Q: Down regulation
, Answer: The receptors that each drug binds to
(example risperidone's receptor profile would like...
(a) Blockade of 5HT2A and D2 receptors (b) High
affinity for a1 a2 and H1 receptors)
Q: Receptor profile
Answer: Refers to a drug metabolite or
neurotransmitter attaching to a receptor
Q: Binding
Answer: refers to the \ preference\ or
likelihood of a drug to bind to a certain receptor.
Linked to potency.
Q: Affinity
Answer: A group of enzymes in the liver that
metabolize different drugs. There are six.
Q: CYP450
Answer: (1) CYP1A2 (2) CYP2B6 (3) CYP2C9 (4)
CYP2C19 (5) CYP2D6 (6) CYP3A4 (7) CYP2EI
Q: List the 7 CYP450 Enzymes
Answer: Metabolizes arteminsin bupropion
cyclophosphamide efavirenz ketamine and methadone
(2B6 there are two psych drugs (bupropion methadone
(ketamine...?) and six altogether.
Q: CYP2B6
Answer: metabolizes AcetAminophen (two As)
Q: CYP1A2
Answer: metabolizes Warfarin/Coumadin (think
warfarin factors 2 C 9)
Q: CYP2C9
, Answer: metabolizes PPIs antidepressants
antiplatelet antifungals and anticancer drugs (2C19
two see one there is only one class of psych drugs
that are metabolized you ONLY SEE one!
antidepressants)
Q: CYP2C19
Answer: Metabolizes Cardiovascular drugs (2-D
echo echo is a test for heart)
Q: CYP2D6
Answer: Most common and ambiguous (if not above
then it's this one a lot of psych drugs are involved
with this one)
Q: CYP3A4
Answer: ETOH (You have to be 21 to drink)
Q: CYP2EI
Answer: Decreases drug metabolism: (1) Valproate
(2) Ketoconazole (3) Isoniazid (4) Sulfonamides (5)
Chloramphenicol (6) Amiodarone (7) All macrolides
(think mycins) except azithromycin (8) Q: uinidine (9)
Grapefruit juice
Q: CYP450 inhibitors
Answer: Increases drug metabolism: (1)
Carbamazepine (2) Rifampin (3) Alcohol (4) Phenytoin
(5) Griseofulvin (6) Phenobarbital (7) Sulfonylureas
Q: CYP450 inducers
Answer: (1) Mesolimbic (2) Tuberoinfundibular
(3) Mesocorticial (4) Nigrostriatal
Q: Dopamine Pathways
Answer: Increase in dopamine in this pathway
causes positive symptoms
2026/2027) Psychopharmacology
Exam| Grade A Questions and
Verified Answers| 100% Correct
Answer: Safety Tolerability Efficacy
Practicality Treatment accessibility Treatment
compliance
Q: What are the 6 general principles of
psychopharmacological treatment?
Answer: How the drug moves in the body. (ex.
Where is it absorbed? How and where is it metabolized?
Where is it excreted?)
Q: Pharmacokinetics
Answer: What the drug does to the body.
(consider mechanism of action)
Q: Pharmacodynamics
Answer: Referred to as Typical Antipsychotics.
Most have strong bond with D2 receptors only cause
EPS symptoms faster due to prolonged receptor
dissociation have more dangerous side effect profiles
have been around longer more effective at treating
positive symptoms less expensive. (Ex. Haloperidol
Chlorpromazine Thioridazine Fluphenazine)
Q: Define First-generation antipsychotics
Answer: Referred to as Atypical Antipsychotics.
Most have a weak bond with D2 receptors and block
serotonin receptors leading to anti-depressive and
anxiolytic effects. They cause less EPS due to rapid
receptor disassociation which leads to rapid dopamine
neurotransmission. Have less dangerous side effect
profiles but can cause metabolic syndromes have been
,around shorter time more expensive more effective at
treating negative symptoms but can treat positive
symptoms as well long-acting injections available for
several of these. (Ex. Risperidone Clozapine Q:
uetiapine Aripiprazole Ziprasidone)
Q: Define Second-generation antipsychotics
Answer: Side effects caused by certain
antipsychotic medications which include: involuntary
or uncontrollable movements. tremors. muscle
contractions.
Q: Extra Pyramidal Symptoms (EPS)
Answer: A neurological disorder characterize by
involuntary movement of the face and jaw.
Q: Tardive dyskinesia
Answer: Occurs through chronic use of
antagonists which causes an increase in the number of
receptors externalization of receptors and increased
sensitivity of the receptors. Prolonged use of
antagonist -> Up-regulation of receptors -> Sudden
withdrawal of antagonist -> increased number of
receptors and increased sensitivity of receptors *YOU
MUST GRADUALLY TAPER A DRUG TO AVOID BINDING TO ALL
NEW RECEPTORS FROM UPREGULATION
Q: Upregulation
Answer: Occurs by chronic exposure of agonists
which causes decreased number of receptors
internalization of receptors and decreased
sensitivity of the receptors. Prolonged use of agonist
-> down-regulation of receptors -> decreased
effectiveness of agonist mediated clinical response.
You have two options: 1 Increase the drug dose OR 2
Switch to another drug(BEST OPTION)
Q: Down regulation
, Answer: The receptors that each drug binds to
(example risperidone's receptor profile would like...
(a) Blockade of 5HT2A and D2 receptors (b) High
affinity for a1 a2 and H1 receptors)
Q: Receptor profile
Answer: Refers to a drug metabolite or
neurotransmitter attaching to a receptor
Q: Binding
Answer: refers to the \ preference\ or
likelihood of a drug to bind to a certain receptor.
Linked to potency.
Q: Affinity
Answer: A group of enzymes in the liver that
metabolize different drugs. There are six.
Q: CYP450
Answer: (1) CYP1A2 (2) CYP2B6 (3) CYP2C9 (4)
CYP2C19 (5) CYP2D6 (6) CYP3A4 (7) CYP2EI
Q: List the 7 CYP450 Enzymes
Answer: Metabolizes arteminsin bupropion
cyclophosphamide efavirenz ketamine and methadone
(2B6 there are two psych drugs (bupropion methadone
(ketamine...?) and six altogether.
Q: CYP2B6
Answer: metabolizes AcetAminophen (two As)
Q: CYP1A2
Answer: metabolizes Warfarin/Coumadin (think
warfarin factors 2 C 9)
Q: CYP2C9
, Answer: metabolizes PPIs antidepressants
antiplatelet antifungals and anticancer drugs (2C19
two see one there is only one class of psych drugs
that are metabolized you ONLY SEE one!
antidepressants)
Q: CYP2C19
Answer: Metabolizes Cardiovascular drugs (2-D
echo echo is a test for heart)
Q: CYP2D6
Answer: Most common and ambiguous (if not above
then it's this one a lot of psych drugs are involved
with this one)
Q: CYP3A4
Answer: ETOH (You have to be 21 to drink)
Q: CYP2EI
Answer: Decreases drug metabolism: (1) Valproate
(2) Ketoconazole (3) Isoniazid (4) Sulfonamides (5)
Chloramphenicol (6) Amiodarone (7) All macrolides
(think mycins) except azithromycin (8) Q: uinidine (9)
Grapefruit juice
Q: CYP450 inhibitors
Answer: Increases drug metabolism: (1)
Carbamazepine (2) Rifampin (3) Alcohol (4) Phenytoin
(5) Griseofulvin (6) Phenobarbital (7) Sulfonylureas
Q: CYP450 inducers
Answer: (1) Mesolimbic (2) Tuberoinfundibular
(3) Mesocorticial (4) Nigrostriatal
Q: Dopamine Pathways
Answer: Increase in dopamine in this pathway
causes positive symptoms
