Advanced Pathophysiology
Chamberlain University
Academic Year: 2026/2027
Total Questions: 105
Time Allowed: 3 Hours
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Read each question carefully before selecting your answer.
2. Answer all questions to the best of your ability.
3. Select the most correct answer for each question.
4. This examination contains 105 questions covering all major topics in
Advanced Pathophysiology.
SECTION A: NEUROLOGY
Question 1:
What are dermatomes?
A) Areas of skin supplied by branches of a single spinal sensory nerve root
B) Areas of skin supplied by branches of a single cranial nerve
C) Areas of muscle supplied by branches of a single spinal motor nerve root
D) Areas of bone supplied by branches of a single spinal nerve root
Answer: A) Areas of skin supplied by branches of a single spinal sensory nerve
root
,Question 2:
Which of the following correctly describes substance release at the synapse?
A) Acetylcholine is only excitatory and is associated with Parkinson's disease
B) Dopamine is excitatory at H3 receptors and inhibitory at H1 and H2
receptors
C) Norepinephrine is involved in sleep/wake cycle and sympathetic nervous
system transmission
D) Dopamine is only inhibitory and is associated with Alzheimer's disease
Answer: C) Norepinephrine is involved in sleep/wake cycle and sympathetic
nervous system transmission
Question 3:
What is spondylolysis?
A) Structural defect in the pars interarticularis of the vertebral arch
B) Structural defect in the vertebral body
C) Degeneration of the intervertebral disc
D) Fracture of the spinous process
Answer: A) Structural defect in the pars interarticularis of the vertebral arch
Question 4:
The primary motor area (Brodmann area 4) is located along which structure?
A) Postcentral gyrus
B) Precentral gyrus
C) Temporal lobe
D) Occipital lobe
Answer: B) Precentral gyrus
Question 5:
What is the ischemic penumbra?
,A) Ischemic but not infarcted tissue that is salvageable
B) Infarcted tissue that is unsalvageable
C) Hemorrhagic tissue that is salvageable
D) Healthy tissue surrounding an ischemic area
Answer: A) Ischemic but not infarcted tissue that is salvageable
Question 6:
In cerebral infarction, necrosis typically appears by what time frame?
A) 1 to 2 hours
B) 6 to 12 hours
C) 48 to 72 hours
D) 7 to 10 days
Answer: C) 48 to 72 hours
Question 7:
What are excitotoxins?
A) Toxins that inhibit glutamate release
B) Toxins that overstimulate glutamate release and cause neuron suicide
C) Toxins that stimulate GABA release
D) Toxins that inhibit dopamine release
Answer: B) Toxins that overstimulate glutamate release and cause neuron
suicide
Question 8:
Agnosia associated with the parietal lobe is characterized as:
A) Visual agnosia
B) Auditory agnosia
C) Tactile/spatial agnosia
D) Olfactory agnosia
Answer: C) Tactile/spatial agnosia
, Question 9:
Subarachnoid hemorrhage most commonly results from:
A) Hypertensive crisis
B) Ruptured intracranial aneurysm or trauma
C) Arteriovenous malformation
D) Sinus thrombosis
Answer: B) Ruptured intracranial aneurysm or trauma
Question 10:
The most common bacterial causes of meningitis are:
A) Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis
B) Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli
C) Haemophilus influenzae and Listeria monocytogenes
D) Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae
Answer: A) Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis
SECTION B: REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
Question 11:
Prostate cancer prevention includes which of the following?
A) High-fat diet and sedentary lifestyle
B) Low-fat diet and regular DRE and PSA testing
C) High-protein diet and regular exercise
D) Low-carbohydrate diet and vitamin supplementation
Answer: B) Low-fat diet and regular DRE and PSA testing