NURS 6630: WEEK 1–5 KNOWLEDGE CHECK
EXAM PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGIC
APPROACHES TO THE TREATMENT OF
PSYCHOPATHOLOGY, 2025/2026 WITH
CORRECT/ACCURATE ANSWERS
Includes questions, answers, and others with rationales
(100 QUESTIONS)
AT WALDEN UNIVERSITY
PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGIC APPROACHES TO
THE TREATMENT OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
KNOWLEDGE CHECK EXAM
QUESTIONS (1–10)
1. Which neurotransmitter is involved in the cholinergic system and associated with
learning and memory?
A. Dopamine
B. Serotonin
C. Acetylcholine ✔
D. Norepinephrine
Rationale: Acetylcholine plays a major role in memory and cognition; reduced levels are
linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
2. Which lobe of the brain is primarily involved in executive functions such as planning,
decision-making, and impulse control?
A. Temporal lobe
B. Parietal lobe
,C. Frontal lobe ✔
D. Occipital lobe
Rationale: The frontal lobe controls executive functioning and higher-order thinking.
3. Which of the following best describes the process of neurotransmitter release from
the presynaptic neuron?
A. Exocytosis ✔
B. Endocytosis
C. Diffusion
D. Active transport
Rationale: Neurotransmitters are released via calcium-dependent exocytosis.
4. Which of the following neurotransmitters is primarily inhibitory in the CNS?
A. Glutamate
B. GABA ✔
C. Dopamine
D. Acetylcholine
Rationale: GABA is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter, reducing neuronal excitability.
5. In which part of the neuron are neurotransmitters stored before release?
A. Soma
B. Dendrites
C. Axon terminal ✔
D. Myelin sheath
Rationale: Vesicles containing neurotransmitters are located in the axon terminal.
6. Which enzyme is responsible for the breakdown of acetylcholine in the synaptic cleft?
A. Monoamine oxidase
B. Catechol-O-methyltransferase
, C. Acetylcholinesterase ✔
D. Glucokinase
Rationale: AChE rapidly degrades acetylcholine.
7. Which neurotransmitter is primarily associated with the reward system?
A. Dopamine ✔
B. Acetylcholine
C. Norepinephrine
D. Serotonin
Rationale: Dopamine mediates reward, reinforcement, and addiction pathways.
8. What describes an antagonist's action at a receptor site?
A. Activates receptor
B. Sensitizes receptor
C. Binds without activating, blocking ligands ✔
D. Degrades receptor
Rationale: Antagonists bind to receptors and block activation.
9. Which neurotransmitter is synthesized from tryptophan?
A. Dopamine
B. Norepinephrine
C. Serotonin ✔
D. Acetylcholine
Rationale: Serotonin is derived from dietary tryptophan.
10. Which part of the brain regulates autonomic functions such as heart rate and
respiration?
A. Cerebellum
B. Brainstem ✔
EXAM PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGIC
APPROACHES TO THE TREATMENT OF
PSYCHOPATHOLOGY, 2025/2026 WITH
CORRECT/ACCURATE ANSWERS
Includes questions, answers, and others with rationales
(100 QUESTIONS)
AT WALDEN UNIVERSITY
PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGIC APPROACHES TO
THE TREATMENT OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
KNOWLEDGE CHECK EXAM
QUESTIONS (1–10)
1. Which neurotransmitter is involved in the cholinergic system and associated with
learning and memory?
A. Dopamine
B. Serotonin
C. Acetylcholine ✔
D. Norepinephrine
Rationale: Acetylcholine plays a major role in memory and cognition; reduced levels are
linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
2. Which lobe of the brain is primarily involved in executive functions such as planning,
decision-making, and impulse control?
A. Temporal lobe
B. Parietal lobe
,C. Frontal lobe ✔
D. Occipital lobe
Rationale: The frontal lobe controls executive functioning and higher-order thinking.
3. Which of the following best describes the process of neurotransmitter release from
the presynaptic neuron?
A. Exocytosis ✔
B. Endocytosis
C. Diffusion
D. Active transport
Rationale: Neurotransmitters are released via calcium-dependent exocytosis.
4. Which of the following neurotransmitters is primarily inhibitory in the CNS?
A. Glutamate
B. GABA ✔
C. Dopamine
D. Acetylcholine
Rationale: GABA is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter, reducing neuronal excitability.
5. In which part of the neuron are neurotransmitters stored before release?
A. Soma
B. Dendrites
C. Axon terminal ✔
D. Myelin sheath
Rationale: Vesicles containing neurotransmitters are located in the axon terminal.
6. Which enzyme is responsible for the breakdown of acetylcholine in the synaptic cleft?
A. Monoamine oxidase
B. Catechol-O-methyltransferase
, C. Acetylcholinesterase ✔
D. Glucokinase
Rationale: AChE rapidly degrades acetylcholine.
7. Which neurotransmitter is primarily associated with the reward system?
A. Dopamine ✔
B. Acetylcholine
C. Norepinephrine
D. Serotonin
Rationale: Dopamine mediates reward, reinforcement, and addiction pathways.
8. What describes an antagonist's action at a receptor site?
A. Activates receptor
B. Sensitizes receptor
C. Binds without activating, blocking ligands ✔
D. Degrades receptor
Rationale: Antagonists bind to receptors and block activation.
9. Which neurotransmitter is synthesized from tryptophan?
A. Dopamine
B. Norepinephrine
C. Serotonin ✔
D. Acetylcholine
Rationale: Serotonin is derived from dietary tryptophan.
10. Which part of the brain regulates autonomic functions such as heart rate and
respiration?
A. Cerebellum
B. Brainstem ✔
