Fitzgerald PMHNP – 2025/2026 Updated
Certification Exam Prep & Study Guide | 100%
Pass Guarantee
Theory - self-actualization - correct answerMaslow
Absolute Risk Reduction (ARR) - correct answerThe risk in a control group minus the
risk in a treatment group
The concomitant use of MAOIs and St. John's wort can lead to - correct
answerserotonin syndrome
Relative Risk Reduction (RRR) - correct answerThe percentage of risk removed by the
treatment
True randomization sample - correct answerno bias in sample selection
Stratified sample - correct answera selective reproduction of the population
non-probability sampling - correct answera sampling technique in which there is no way
to calculate the likelihood that a specific element of the population being studied will be
chosen
Reliability - correct answerthe concept that results can be repeated and are not just a
fluke
Validity - correct answerThe results indicate what the researcher thinks they indicate
Internal validity - correct answerincludes research design and steps of the scientific
method
External validity - correct answerincludes assessment of the interference's or causal
relationship
Retrospective study - correct answerexisting data are analyzed, either qualitatively or
quantitatively
Veracity - correct answerThe healthcare provider must be truthful and avoid deception
LACE Essentials - correct answerLicensure
Accreditation
,Certification
Education
Licensure - correct answergranting of authority to practice
Primary prevention - correct answer-preventing the health problem
-most cost-effective form of healthcare
-immunizations
Secondary prevention - correct answer-detecting the disease
-screening
Tertiary prevention - correct answer-minimizing negative disease induced outcomes
-disease already present
-adjust therapy to avoid further damage
Conditions that originate during brain development - correct answer-schizophrenia,
depression, autism, ADHD
The Reptilian Brain - correct answerBrainstem and Cerebellum
Brainstem Structure - correct answerPons, medulla oblongata, midbrain
Brainstem Function - correct answer-Regulates blood pressure, respiration, level of
arousal, and digestion
-Information relay to cerebellum
Brainstem effects of damage - correct answerimpaired inhibition, anxiety, depression,
and personality changes
Brainstem specific psychiatric conditions - correct answerPTSD, paralysis, psychosis,
coma, and death
Cerebellum function - correct answercoordinates balance, posture, movement, memory,
impulse control, cognition, language
Cerebellum effects of damage - correct answerdamage can cause ataxia, tremors,
emotional blunting, and lack of inhibition
cerebellum specific psychiatric conditions - correct answerautism and ADHD,
depression, bipolar do, schizophrenia
The emotional brain - correct answerThe Limbic System
The Limbic system major structures - correct answerAmygdala, Hippocampus
,Amygdala key functions - correct answerRegulates basic, powerful emotions: fear, rage,
sexual desire
Amygdala effects of damage - correct answerIrritability, anger, aggression
Amygdala specific psychiatric conditions - correct answerPTSD, panic do, depression,
autism, and schizophrenia
Hippocampus key functions - correct answerInvolved in memory and converting short-
term memory into long-term memory, learning
Hippocampus effects of damage - correct answerImpaired memory and attention
Hippocampus specific psychiatric conditions - correct answerPTSD, Alzheimer's,
dementia, and major depression
Thalamus key functions - correct answer-relay station that connects the cortex to the
limbic system for sensory information
-Influences affect, mood, and body movements associated with strong emotion
Thalamus effects of damage - correct answerimpairment when people are overwhelmed
with information
Thalamus specific psychiatric conditions - correct answerSchizophrenia, PTSD, memory
problems
Hypothalamus key functions - correct answermaintains homeostasis, controls basic
needs (eating, drinking, temperature regulation, sleep-wake cycle)
Hypothalamus specific psychiatric conditions - correct answerDepression, anorexia,
violence
Hypothalamus effects of damage - correct answerdisturbed sleep, eating, changes in
body temperature, emotional instability
Cerebral Cortex - correct answerfrontal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, temporal lobe
The thinking brain - correct answerCerebral cortex
Frontal lobe major structures - correct answermotor strip, supplemental motor area,
broca's area, prefrontal cortex
frontal lobe key functions - correct answer-executive functioning and personality
-higher-order planning, speech, motivation
-involved in emotional experience and expression of mood
, prefrontal cortex regions - correct answer-orbitofrontal, dorsolateral, medial
part of the brain's reward system - correct answermedial prefrontal cortex
works with amygdala to control emotional regulation and processing - correct
answerdorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC)
orbital frontal region effects of damage - correct answerresults in lack of inhibition,
promiscuity, poor judgement, defects in executive functioning
frontal lobe Broca's area - correct answerresults in expressive aphasia
frontal lobe specific psychiatric conditions - correct answer-frontal lobe syndrome,
schizophrenia, executive dysfunction syndrome, depression, bipolar, ADHD, and
anxiety
Parietal lobe key functions - correct answer-receives and evaluates sensory information
-Involved w/processing tactile and preprioceptive information, comprehension of
language
parietal lobe effects of damage - correct answertrouble recognizing familiar people,
objects, or surroundings
parietal lobe psychiatric conditions - correct answeraphasia, agnosia, and apraxia
occipital lobe key functions - correct answervision and visual memory, language
formation
occipital lobe effects of damage - correct answervision loss, visual hallucination
occipital lobe psychiatric conditions - correct answerblindness, color blindness
temporal lobe key functions - correct answer-receives and processes auditory
information
-provides emotional context to memories
temporal lobe psychiatric conditions - correct answerauditory hallucinations in
depression, mania, and schizophrenia
temporal lobe effects of damage - correct answerfear, anxiety, rage, paranoia
dopamine pathways - correct answerNigrostriatal tract
Mesolimbic tract
Mesocortical tract
Tuberoinfundibular tract
Certification Exam Prep & Study Guide | 100%
Pass Guarantee
Theory - self-actualization - correct answerMaslow
Absolute Risk Reduction (ARR) - correct answerThe risk in a control group minus the
risk in a treatment group
The concomitant use of MAOIs and St. John's wort can lead to - correct
answerserotonin syndrome
Relative Risk Reduction (RRR) - correct answerThe percentage of risk removed by the
treatment
True randomization sample - correct answerno bias in sample selection
Stratified sample - correct answera selective reproduction of the population
non-probability sampling - correct answera sampling technique in which there is no way
to calculate the likelihood that a specific element of the population being studied will be
chosen
Reliability - correct answerthe concept that results can be repeated and are not just a
fluke
Validity - correct answerThe results indicate what the researcher thinks they indicate
Internal validity - correct answerincludes research design and steps of the scientific
method
External validity - correct answerincludes assessment of the interference's or causal
relationship
Retrospective study - correct answerexisting data are analyzed, either qualitatively or
quantitatively
Veracity - correct answerThe healthcare provider must be truthful and avoid deception
LACE Essentials - correct answerLicensure
Accreditation
,Certification
Education
Licensure - correct answergranting of authority to practice
Primary prevention - correct answer-preventing the health problem
-most cost-effective form of healthcare
-immunizations
Secondary prevention - correct answer-detecting the disease
-screening
Tertiary prevention - correct answer-minimizing negative disease induced outcomes
-disease already present
-adjust therapy to avoid further damage
Conditions that originate during brain development - correct answer-schizophrenia,
depression, autism, ADHD
The Reptilian Brain - correct answerBrainstem and Cerebellum
Brainstem Structure - correct answerPons, medulla oblongata, midbrain
Brainstem Function - correct answer-Regulates blood pressure, respiration, level of
arousal, and digestion
-Information relay to cerebellum
Brainstem effects of damage - correct answerimpaired inhibition, anxiety, depression,
and personality changes
Brainstem specific psychiatric conditions - correct answerPTSD, paralysis, psychosis,
coma, and death
Cerebellum function - correct answercoordinates balance, posture, movement, memory,
impulse control, cognition, language
Cerebellum effects of damage - correct answerdamage can cause ataxia, tremors,
emotional blunting, and lack of inhibition
cerebellum specific psychiatric conditions - correct answerautism and ADHD,
depression, bipolar do, schizophrenia
The emotional brain - correct answerThe Limbic System
The Limbic system major structures - correct answerAmygdala, Hippocampus
,Amygdala key functions - correct answerRegulates basic, powerful emotions: fear, rage,
sexual desire
Amygdala effects of damage - correct answerIrritability, anger, aggression
Amygdala specific psychiatric conditions - correct answerPTSD, panic do, depression,
autism, and schizophrenia
Hippocampus key functions - correct answerInvolved in memory and converting short-
term memory into long-term memory, learning
Hippocampus effects of damage - correct answerImpaired memory and attention
Hippocampus specific psychiatric conditions - correct answerPTSD, Alzheimer's,
dementia, and major depression
Thalamus key functions - correct answer-relay station that connects the cortex to the
limbic system for sensory information
-Influences affect, mood, and body movements associated with strong emotion
Thalamus effects of damage - correct answerimpairment when people are overwhelmed
with information
Thalamus specific psychiatric conditions - correct answerSchizophrenia, PTSD, memory
problems
Hypothalamus key functions - correct answermaintains homeostasis, controls basic
needs (eating, drinking, temperature regulation, sleep-wake cycle)
Hypothalamus specific psychiatric conditions - correct answerDepression, anorexia,
violence
Hypothalamus effects of damage - correct answerdisturbed sleep, eating, changes in
body temperature, emotional instability
Cerebral Cortex - correct answerfrontal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, temporal lobe
The thinking brain - correct answerCerebral cortex
Frontal lobe major structures - correct answermotor strip, supplemental motor area,
broca's area, prefrontal cortex
frontal lobe key functions - correct answer-executive functioning and personality
-higher-order planning, speech, motivation
-involved in emotional experience and expression of mood
, prefrontal cortex regions - correct answer-orbitofrontal, dorsolateral, medial
part of the brain's reward system - correct answermedial prefrontal cortex
works with amygdala to control emotional regulation and processing - correct
answerdorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC)
orbital frontal region effects of damage - correct answerresults in lack of inhibition,
promiscuity, poor judgement, defects in executive functioning
frontal lobe Broca's area - correct answerresults in expressive aphasia
frontal lobe specific psychiatric conditions - correct answer-frontal lobe syndrome,
schizophrenia, executive dysfunction syndrome, depression, bipolar, ADHD, and
anxiety
Parietal lobe key functions - correct answer-receives and evaluates sensory information
-Involved w/processing tactile and preprioceptive information, comprehension of
language
parietal lobe effects of damage - correct answertrouble recognizing familiar people,
objects, or surroundings
parietal lobe psychiatric conditions - correct answeraphasia, agnosia, and apraxia
occipital lobe key functions - correct answervision and visual memory, language
formation
occipital lobe effects of damage - correct answervision loss, visual hallucination
occipital lobe psychiatric conditions - correct answerblindness, color blindness
temporal lobe key functions - correct answer-receives and processes auditory
information
-provides emotional context to memories
temporal lobe psychiatric conditions - correct answerauditory hallucinations in
depression, mania, and schizophrenia
temporal lobe effects of damage - correct answerfear, anxiety, rage, paranoia
dopamine pathways - correct answerNigrostriatal tract
Mesolimbic tract
Mesocortical tract
Tuberoinfundibular tract
