NR 546 MIDTERM EXAM 2026/2027| Advanced
Psychopharmacology PMHNP
SECTION 1: NEUROANATOMY & NEUROBIOLOGY (Q1–40)
Q1. Which area of the brain governs executive function, impulse control, and decision-
making?
A. Prefrontal cortex
B. Amygdala
C. Hippocampus
D. Cerebellum
Answer: A
Rationale: The prefrontal cortex governs executive function, impulse control, decision-making,
and working memory. Hypofrontality correlates with negative symptoms of schizophrenia.
Q2. Which brain structure is most associated with long-term memory?
A. Prefrontal cortex
B. Amygdala
C. Hippocampus
D. Cerebellum
Answer: C
Rationale: The hippocampus is most associated with long-term memory and explicit memory
formation. It is one of the first areas affected in Alzheimer's disease.
Q3. Which brain structure is key in emotional processing and fear conditioning?
A. Prefrontal cortex
B. Amygdala
C. Hippocampus
D. Cerebellum
Answer: B
Rationale: The amygdala is key in emotional processing and fear conditioning; it modulates
emotional memory.
Q4. Which area of the brain is responsible for language comprehension?
A. Broca's area
B. Wernicke's area
,C. Prefrontal cortex
D. Hippocampus
Answer: B
Rationale: Wernicke's area, located in the temporal lobe, is responsible for language
comprehension.
Q5. Which area of the brain is responsible for speech production?
A. Broca's area
B. Wernicke's area
C. Prefrontal cortex
D. Hippocampus
Answer: A
Rationale: Broca's area, located in the frontal lobe, is responsible for speech production.
Q6. Which type of brain tissue is primarily composed of myelinated axons?
A. Grey matter
B. White matter
C. Both
D. Neither
Answer: B
Rationale: White matter is primarily composed of myelinated axons that form nerve fibers
connecting neurons from different brain regions.
Q7. Which type of brain tissue contains neuron cell bodies, dendrites, and synapses?
A. Grey matter
B. White matter
C. Both
D. Neither
Answer: A
Rationale: Grey matter contains neuron cell bodies, dendrites, and synapses where neural
processing occurs.
Q8. What is the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain?
A. GABA
B. Glutamate
C. Serotonin
D. Dopamine
,Answer: B
Rationale: Glutamate is the primary excitatory neurotransmitter. Too much glutamate is
associated with schizophrenia, epilepsy, and mania.
Q9. What is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain?
A. GABA
B. Glutamate
C. Serotonin
D. Dopamine
Answer: A
Rationale: GABA is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter. Too little GABA is associated with
anxiety and schizophrenia.
Q10. Which neurotransmitter regulates mood, sleep, arousal, libido, aggression, and pain
perception?
A. GABA
B. Glutamate
C. Serotonin
D. Dopamine
Answer: C
Rationale: Serotonin (5HT) regulates mood, sleep, arousal, libido, aggression, and pain
perception.
Q11. Which neurotransmitter mediates fight-or-flight, focus, and productivity?
A. GABA
B. Glutamate
C. Norepinephrine
D. Dopamine
Answer: C
Rationale: Norepinephrine (NE) mediates fight-or-flight, focus, and productivity. Elevated NE is
associated with anxiety and hyperarousal.
Q12. Which neurotransmitter regulates mood, executive function, movement, and
coordination?
A. GABA
B. Glutamate
C. Serotonin
D. Dopamine
, Answer: D
Rationale: Dopamine (DA) regulates mood, executive function, movement, and coordination. It
is associated with the reward center.
Q13. Which neurotransmitter affects arousal, motivation, attention, learning, and REM sleep?
A. Acetylcholine
B. Glutamate
C. Serotonin
D. Dopamine
Answer: A
Rationale: Acetylcholine (Ach) affects arousal, motivation, attention, learning, and REM sleep.
Not enough Ach is associated with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Schizophrenia.
Q14. Which dopamine pathway is associated with reward and emotion?
A. Mesolimbic
B. Mesocortical
C. Nigrostriatal
D. Tuberoinfundibular
Answer: A
Rationale: The mesolimbic pathway is associated with reward and emotion. D2 blockade in this
pathway reduces positive symptoms of schizophrenia.
Q15. Which dopamine pathway is associated with cognition and executive function?
A. Mesolimbic
B. Mesocortical
C. Nigrostriatal
D. Tuberoinfundibular
Answer: B
Rationale: The mesocortical pathway is associated with cognition and executive function. D2
blockade in this pathway is associated with negative symptoms.
Q16. Which dopamine pathway is associated with motor control?
A. Mesolimbic
B. Mesocortical
C. Nigrostriatal
D. Tuberoinfundibular
Psychopharmacology PMHNP
SECTION 1: NEUROANATOMY & NEUROBIOLOGY (Q1–40)
Q1. Which area of the brain governs executive function, impulse control, and decision-
making?
A. Prefrontal cortex
B. Amygdala
C. Hippocampus
D. Cerebellum
Answer: A
Rationale: The prefrontal cortex governs executive function, impulse control, decision-making,
and working memory. Hypofrontality correlates with negative symptoms of schizophrenia.
Q2. Which brain structure is most associated with long-term memory?
A. Prefrontal cortex
B. Amygdala
C. Hippocampus
D. Cerebellum
Answer: C
Rationale: The hippocampus is most associated with long-term memory and explicit memory
formation. It is one of the first areas affected in Alzheimer's disease.
Q3. Which brain structure is key in emotional processing and fear conditioning?
A. Prefrontal cortex
B. Amygdala
C. Hippocampus
D. Cerebellum
Answer: B
Rationale: The amygdala is key in emotional processing and fear conditioning; it modulates
emotional memory.
Q4. Which area of the brain is responsible for language comprehension?
A. Broca's area
B. Wernicke's area
,C. Prefrontal cortex
D. Hippocampus
Answer: B
Rationale: Wernicke's area, located in the temporal lobe, is responsible for language
comprehension.
Q5. Which area of the brain is responsible for speech production?
A. Broca's area
B. Wernicke's area
C. Prefrontal cortex
D. Hippocampus
Answer: A
Rationale: Broca's area, located in the frontal lobe, is responsible for speech production.
Q6. Which type of brain tissue is primarily composed of myelinated axons?
A. Grey matter
B. White matter
C. Both
D. Neither
Answer: B
Rationale: White matter is primarily composed of myelinated axons that form nerve fibers
connecting neurons from different brain regions.
Q7. Which type of brain tissue contains neuron cell bodies, dendrites, and synapses?
A. Grey matter
B. White matter
C. Both
D. Neither
Answer: A
Rationale: Grey matter contains neuron cell bodies, dendrites, and synapses where neural
processing occurs.
Q8. What is the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain?
A. GABA
B. Glutamate
C. Serotonin
D. Dopamine
,Answer: B
Rationale: Glutamate is the primary excitatory neurotransmitter. Too much glutamate is
associated with schizophrenia, epilepsy, and mania.
Q9. What is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain?
A. GABA
B. Glutamate
C. Serotonin
D. Dopamine
Answer: A
Rationale: GABA is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter. Too little GABA is associated with
anxiety and schizophrenia.
Q10. Which neurotransmitter regulates mood, sleep, arousal, libido, aggression, and pain
perception?
A. GABA
B. Glutamate
C. Serotonin
D. Dopamine
Answer: C
Rationale: Serotonin (5HT) regulates mood, sleep, arousal, libido, aggression, and pain
perception.
Q11. Which neurotransmitter mediates fight-or-flight, focus, and productivity?
A. GABA
B. Glutamate
C. Norepinephrine
D. Dopamine
Answer: C
Rationale: Norepinephrine (NE) mediates fight-or-flight, focus, and productivity. Elevated NE is
associated with anxiety and hyperarousal.
Q12. Which neurotransmitter regulates mood, executive function, movement, and
coordination?
A. GABA
B. Glutamate
C. Serotonin
D. Dopamine
, Answer: D
Rationale: Dopamine (DA) regulates mood, executive function, movement, and coordination. It
is associated with the reward center.
Q13. Which neurotransmitter affects arousal, motivation, attention, learning, and REM sleep?
A. Acetylcholine
B. Glutamate
C. Serotonin
D. Dopamine
Answer: A
Rationale: Acetylcholine (Ach) affects arousal, motivation, attention, learning, and REM sleep.
Not enough Ach is associated with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Schizophrenia.
Q14. Which dopamine pathway is associated with reward and emotion?
A. Mesolimbic
B. Mesocortical
C. Nigrostriatal
D. Tuberoinfundibular
Answer: A
Rationale: The mesolimbic pathway is associated with reward and emotion. D2 blockade in this
pathway reduces positive symptoms of schizophrenia.
Q15. Which dopamine pathway is associated with cognition and executive function?
A. Mesolimbic
B. Mesocortical
C. Nigrostriatal
D. Tuberoinfundibular
Answer: B
Rationale: The mesocortical pathway is associated with cognition and executive function. D2
blockade in this pathway is associated with negative symptoms.
Q16. Which dopamine pathway is associated with motor control?
A. Mesolimbic
B. Mesocortical
C. Nigrostriatal
D. Tuberoinfundibular
