EPPP - PRACTICE EXAM 4 QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS &
DETAILED RATIONALES | LATEST QUIZ SET
DOMAIN 1: BIOLOGICAL BASES OF BEHAVIOR (Questions
1-13)
1. Beta-blockers, such as Inderal (propranolol), are commonly prescribed for
blood pressure and heart problems. All of the following are common side
effects EXCEPT:
A. Nightmares
B. Loss of appetite
C. Tiredness
D. Impotence
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Loss of appetite is NOT a common side effect of beta-blockers.
Nightmares, tiredness, and impotence are well-documented side effects of these
medications, which work by blocking epinephrine and norepinephrine at beta-
adrenergic receptors .
2. Which brain structure is most centrally involved in fear conditioning and
emotional learning?
A. Hippocampus
B. Amygdala
C. Thalamus
D. Cerebellum
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The amygdala plays a central role in processing fear, emotional learning,
and threat detection. It is a key structure in the limbic system responsible for
attaching emotional significance to stimuli .
,3. The prefrontal cortex is primarily responsible for:
A. Balance and coordination
B. Visual processing
C. Executive functioning
D. Memory consolidation
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The prefrontal cortex is involved in executive functions including decision-
making, planning, impulse control, and working memory. Damage to this area results
in deficits in organizational ability and problem-solving .
4. The primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system is:
A. GABA
B. Glutamate
C. Dopamine
D. Serotonin
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Glutamate is the main excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain, involved in
learning, memory, and synaptic plasticity. GABA is the primary inhibitory
neurotransmitter .
5. Which neurotransmitter is most strongly implicated in mood regulation and
depression?
A. Dopamine
B. Serotonin
C. Acetylcholine
D. Norepinephrine
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Serotonin (5-HT) is strongly implicated in mood regulation; many
antidepressants target serotonergic pathways through reuptake inhibition. Low
serotonin levels are associated with depression, anxiety, and impulsivity .
,6. Tardive dyskinesia results from:
A. Serotonin receptor blockade
B. Dopamine D2 receptor upregulation after prolonged blockade
C. Norepinephrine antagonism
D. Histamine receptor blockade
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Tardive dyskinesia results from dopamine D2 receptor upregulation after
prolonged antipsychotic blockade. It involves involuntary choreoathetoid
movements, particularly of the face and tongue, and is a serious side effect of long-
term antipsychotic use.
7. Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) is characterized by:
A. Hypotension and bradycardia
B. Fever, muscle rigidity, and autonomic instability
C. Weight gain and sedation
D. Hypothermia and constipation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: NMS is a life-threatening side effect of antipsychotic medications
characterized by fever, severe muscle rigidity, autonomic instability, and altered
mental status. It requires immediate medical intervention and discontinuation of the
offending agent .
8. Anterograde amnesia refers to difficulty with:
A. Recalling past memories
B. Forming new memories
C. Recognizing familiar faces
D. Procedural learning
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Anterograde amnesia is the inability to form new memories after the
onset of the condition. It is often associated with hippocampal damage. Immediate
(sensory) memory typically remains intact in amnesia, while anterograde, long-term,
and source memory may be impaired .
, 9. Which of the following is a characteristic of Alzheimer's disease pathology?
A. Lewy bodies
B. Amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles
C. Dopamine deficiency in the basal ganglia
D. Demyelination of neurons
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Alzheimer's disease is characterized by extracellular amyloid plaques and
intracellular neurofibrillary tangles. Lewy bodies are associated with Lewy Body
Dementia; dopamine deficiency is associated with Parkinson's disease.
10. The "fight or flight" response is primarily mediated by:
A. The parasympathetic nervous system
B. The sympathetic nervous system
C. The enteric nervous system
D. The somatic nervous system
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The sympathetic nervous system mediates the "fight-or-flight" response
through catecholamine release (epinephrine and norepinephrine). The
parasympathetic nervous system mediates "rest and digest" functions.
11. Which of the following is associated with dopamine hyperactivity?
A. Parkinson's disease
B. Schizophrenia (positive symptoms)
C. Depression
D. Alzheimer's disease
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Dopamine hyperactivity, particularly in the mesolimbic pathway, is
associated with positive symptoms of schizophrenia (hallucinations, delusions).
Parkinson's disease is associated with dopamine deficiency.
ANSWERS QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS &
DETAILED RATIONALES | LATEST QUIZ SET
DOMAIN 1: BIOLOGICAL BASES OF BEHAVIOR (Questions
1-13)
1. Beta-blockers, such as Inderal (propranolol), are commonly prescribed for
blood pressure and heart problems. All of the following are common side
effects EXCEPT:
A. Nightmares
B. Loss of appetite
C. Tiredness
D. Impotence
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Loss of appetite is NOT a common side effect of beta-blockers.
Nightmares, tiredness, and impotence are well-documented side effects of these
medications, which work by blocking epinephrine and norepinephrine at beta-
adrenergic receptors .
2. Which brain structure is most centrally involved in fear conditioning and
emotional learning?
A. Hippocampus
B. Amygdala
C. Thalamus
D. Cerebellum
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The amygdala plays a central role in processing fear, emotional learning,
and threat detection. It is a key structure in the limbic system responsible for
attaching emotional significance to stimuli .
,3. The prefrontal cortex is primarily responsible for:
A. Balance and coordination
B. Visual processing
C. Executive functioning
D. Memory consolidation
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The prefrontal cortex is involved in executive functions including decision-
making, planning, impulse control, and working memory. Damage to this area results
in deficits in organizational ability and problem-solving .
4. The primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system is:
A. GABA
B. Glutamate
C. Dopamine
D. Serotonin
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Glutamate is the main excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain, involved in
learning, memory, and synaptic plasticity. GABA is the primary inhibitory
neurotransmitter .
5. Which neurotransmitter is most strongly implicated in mood regulation and
depression?
A. Dopamine
B. Serotonin
C. Acetylcholine
D. Norepinephrine
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Serotonin (5-HT) is strongly implicated in mood regulation; many
antidepressants target serotonergic pathways through reuptake inhibition. Low
serotonin levels are associated with depression, anxiety, and impulsivity .
,6. Tardive dyskinesia results from:
A. Serotonin receptor blockade
B. Dopamine D2 receptor upregulation after prolonged blockade
C. Norepinephrine antagonism
D. Histamine receptor blockade
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Tardive dyskinesia results from dopamine D2 receptor upregulation after
prolonged antipsychotic blockade. It involves involuntary choreoathetoid
movements, particularly of the face and tongue, and is a serious side effect of long-
term antipsychotic use.
7. Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) is characterized by:
A. Hypotension and bradycardia
B. Fever, muscle rigidity, and autonomic instability
C. Weight gain and sedation
D. Hypothermia and constipation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: NMS is a life-threatening side effect of antipsychotic medications
characterized by fever, severe muscle rigidity, autonomic instability, and altered
mental status. It requires immediate medical intervention and discontinuation of the
offending agent .
8. Anterograde amnesia refers to difficulty with:
A. Recalling past memories
B. Forming new memories
C. Recognizing familiar faces
D. Procedural learning
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Anterograde amnesia is the inability to form new memories after the
onset of the condition. It is often associated with hippocampal damage. Immediate
(sensory) memory typically remains intact in amnesia, while anterograde, long-term,
and source memory may be impaired .
, 9. Which of the following is a characteristic of Alzheimer's disease pathology?
A. Lewy bodies
B. Amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles
C. Dopamine deficiency in the basal ganglia
D. Demyelination of neurons
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Alzheimer's disease is characterized by extracellular amyloid plaques and
intracellular neurofibrillary tangles. Lewy bodies are associated with Lewy Body
Dementia; dopamine deficiency is associated with Parkinson's disease.
10. The "fight or flight" response is primarily mediated by:
A. The parasympathetic nervous system
B. The sympathetic nervous system
C. The enteric nervous system
D. The somatic nervous system
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The sympathetic nervous system mediates the "fight-or-flight" response
through catecholamine release (epinephrine and norepinephrine). The
parasympathetic nervous system mediates "rest and digest" functions.
11. Which of the following is associated with dopamine hyperactivity?
A. Parkinson's disease
B. Schizophrenia (positive symptoms)
C. Depression
D. Alzheimer's disease
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Dopamine hyperactivity, particularly in the mesolimbic pathway, is
associated with positive symptoms of schizophrenia (hallucinations, delusions).
Parkinson's disease is associated with dopamine deficiency.
