, Stahl's Essential Psychopharmacology n n
Neuroscientific Basis and Practical Applications TESTBANK/STUDY GUIDE n n n n n n
Chapter 1 Chemical neurotransmission
n n n
MULTIPLE CHOICE n
1. A patient with depression mentions to the nurse, My mother says depression is a
n n n n n n n n n n n n n
chemical disorder. What does she mean? The nurses response is based on the theory that
n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n
depression primarily involves which of the following neurotransmitters?
n n n n n n n n
a.
b. COMT and glutamate n n
c. Monamine and glycine n n
d. Serotonin and norepinephrine n n
Cortisol and GABA
n n n
ANS: D n
One possible cause of depression is thought to involve one or more neurotransmitters.
n n n n n n n n n n n n
Serotonin and norepinephrine have been found to be important in the regulation of
n n n n n n n n n n n n n
depression. There is no research to support that the other options play a significant
n n n n n n n n n n n n n n
role in the development of depression.
n n n n n n
2. A patient has experienced a stroke (cerebral vascular accident) that has resulted in
n n n n n n n n n n n n
damage to the Broca area. Which evaluation does the nurse conduct to reinforce this
n n n n n n n n n n n n n n
diagnosis?
n
a. Observing the patient pick up a spoon n n n n n n
b. Asking the patient to recite the alphabet n n n n n n
c. Monitoring the patients blood pressure n n n n
d. Comparing the patients grip strength in both hands n n n n n n n
ANS: B
n n
Accidents or strokes that damage Brocas area may result in the inability to speak (i.e.,
n n n n n n n n n n n n n n
motor aphasia). Fine motor skills, blood pressure control, and muscle strength are not
n n n n n n n n n n n n
controlled by the Broca area of the left frontal lobe.
n n n n n n n n n n
3. The patient diagnosed with schizophrenia asks why psychotropic medications are
n n n n n n n n n
always prescribed by the doctor. The nurses answer will be based on information that the
n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n
therapeutic action of psychotropic drugs is the result of their effect on:
n n n n n n n n n n n n
a. The temporal lobe; especially Wernickes area n n n n n
b. Dendrites and their ability to transmit electrical impulses
n n n n n n n
Page 1 of 143 n n n
, c. The regulation of neurotransmitters especially dopamine
n n n n n
d. The peripheral nervous system sensitivity to the psychotropic medications
n n n n n n n n
ANS: C n
Medications used to treat psychiatric disorders operate in and around the synaptic cleft
n n n n n n n n n n n n
and have action at the neurotransmitter level, especially in the case of schizophrenia,
n n n n n n n n n n n n n
on dopamine. The Wernickes area, dendrite function, or the sensitivity of the
n n n n n n n n n n n n
peripheral nervous system are not relevant to either schizophrenia or psychotropic
n n n n n n n n n n n
medications.
n
4. A student nurse mutters that it seems entirely unnecessary to have to struggle with
n n n n n n n n n n n n n
understanding the anatomy and physiology of the neurologic system. The mentor would
n n n n n n n n n n n n
base a response on the understanding that it is:
n n n n n n n n n
Necessary but generally for psychiatric nurses who focus primarily on
n n n n n n n n n
a. behavioral interventions n
A complex undertaking that advance practice psychiatric nurses frequently use b. in their
n n n n n n n n n n n n
practice
n
Important primarily for the nursing assessment of patients with brain
n n n n n n n n n
c. traumacaused cognitive symptoms n n
Necessary for planning psychiatric care for all patients especially those
n n n n n n n n n
d. experiencing psychiatric disorders n n
ANS: D
n n
Nurses must understand that many symptoms of psychiatric disorders have a
n n n n n n n n n n
neurologic basis, although the symptoms are manifested behaviorally. This
n n n n n n n n
understanding facilitates effective care planning. The foundation of knowledge is not
n n n n n n n n n n n
used exclusively by advanced practice psychiatric nurses nor is it relevant for only
n n n n n n n n n n n n n
behavior therapies or brain trauma since dealing with the results of normal and
n n n n n n n n n n n n n
abnormal brain function is a responsibility of all nurses providing all types of care to
n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n
the psychiatric patient.
n n n
5. A patient asks the nurse, My wife has breast cancer. Could it be caused by her
n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n
chronic depression? Which response is supported by research data?
n n n n n n n n n
a. Too much stress has been proven to cause all kinds of cancer.
n n n n n n n n n n n
,
Neuroscientific Basis and Practical Applications TESTBANK/STUDY GUIDE n n n n n n
Chapter 1 Chemical neurotransmission
n n n
MULTIPLE CHOICE n
1. A patient with depression mentions to the nurse, My mother says depression is a
n n n n n n n n n n n n n
chemical disorder. What does she mean? The nurses response is based on the theory that
n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n
depression primarily involves which of the following neurotransmitters?
n n n n n n n n
a.
b. COMT and glutamate n n
c. Monamine and glycine n n
d. Serotonin and norepinephrine n n
Cortisol and GABA
n n n
ANS: D n
One possible cause of depression is thought to involve one or more neurotransmitters.
n n n n n n n n n n n n
Serotonin and norepinephrine have been found to be important in the regulation of
n n n n n n n n n n n n n
depression. There is no research to support that the other options play a significant
n n n n n n n n n n n n n n
role in the development of depression.
n n n n n n
2. A patient has experienced a stroke (cerebral vascular accident) that has resulted in
n n n n n n n n n n n n
damage to the Broca area. Which evaluation does the nurse conduct to reinforce this
n n n n n n n n n n n n n n
diagnosis?
n
a. Observing the patient pick up a spoon n n n n n n
b. Asking the patient to recite the alphabet n n n n n n
c. Monitoring the patients blood pressure n n n n
d. Comparing the patients grip strength in both hands n n n n n n n
ANS: B
n n
Accidents or strokes that damage Brocas area may result in the inability to speak (i.e.,
n n n n n n n n n n n n n n
motor aphasia). Fine motor skills, blood pressure control, and muscle strength are not
n n n n n n n n n n n n
controlled by the Broca area of the left frontal lobe.
n n n n n n n n n n
3. The patient diagnosed with schizophrenia asks why psychotropic medications are
n n n n n n n n n
always prescribed by the doctor. The nurses answer will be based on information that the
n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n
therapeutic action of psychotropic drugs is the result of their effect on:
n n n n n n n n n n n n
a. The temporal lobe; especially Wernickes area n n n n n
b. Dendrites and their ability to transmit electrical impulses
n n n n n n n
Page 1 of 143 n n n
, c. The regulation of neurotransmitters especially dopamine
n n n n n
d. The peripheral nervous system sensitivity to the psychotropic medications
n n n n n n n n
ANS: C n
Medications used to treat psychiatric disorders operate in and around the synaptic cleft
n n n n n n n n n n n n
and have action at the neurotransmitter level, especially in the case of schizophrenia,
n n n n n n n n n n n n n
on dopamine. The Wernickes area, dendrite function, or the sensitivity of the
n n n n n n n n n n n n
peripheral nervous system are not relevant to either schizophrenia or psychotropic
n n n n n n n n n n n
medications.
n
4. A student nurse mutters that it seems entirely unnecessary to have to struggle with
n n n n n n n n n n n n n
understanding the anatomy and physiology of the neurologic system. The mentor would
n n n n n n n n n n n n
base a response on the understanding that it is:
n n n n n n n n n
Necessary but generally for psychiatric nurses who focus primarily on
n n n n n n n n n
a. behavioral interventions n
A complex undertaking that advance practice psychiatric nurses frequently use b. in their
n n n n n n n n n n n n
practice
n
Important primarily for the nursing assessment of patients with brain
n n n n n n n n n
c. traumacaused cognitive symptoms n n
Necessary for planning psychiatric care for all patients especially those
n n n n n n n n n
d. experiencing psychiatric disorders n n
ANS: D
n n
Nurses must understand that many symptoms of psychiatric disorders have a
n n n n n n n n n n
neurologic basis, although the symptoms are manifested behaviorally. This
n n n n n n n n
understanding facilitates effective care planning. The foundation of knowledge is not
n n n n n n n n n n n
used exclusively by advanced practice psychiatric nurses nor is it relevant for only
n n n n n n n n n n n n n
behavior therapies or brain trauma since dealing with the results of normal and
n n n n n n n n n n n n n
abnormal brain function is a responsibility of all nurses providing all types of care to
n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n
the psychiatric patient.
n n n
5. A patient asks the nurse, My wife has breast cancer. Could it be caused by her
n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n
chronic depression? Which response is supported by research data?
n n n n n n n n n
a. Too much stress has been proven to cause all kinds of cancer.
n n n n n n n n n n n
,
