WGU D027: ADVANCED PATHOPHARMACOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS. EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADED A+ 2025/2026

WGU D027: ADVANCED
PATHOPHARMACOLOGICAL
FOUNDATIONS. EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS GRADED A+ 2025/2026




What are some physical changes from Alzheimer's dementia? - ANS - Brain shrinks

dramatically; nerve cell death and tissue loss


- Cardinal signs: plaques (abnormal clusters of protein fragments) and tangles (twisted strands

of another protein)




How is Alzheimer's treated? - ANS - There is no cure, but there are pharmacological and non-

pharmacological treatments


- Cholinesterase inhibitors


- Memantine (namenda)




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,What are cholinesterase inhibitors prescribed for? - ANS - To treat symptoms related to

memory, thinking, language, judgment, and other processes


- Helps delay or slow the worsening of symptoms




What does cholinesterase inhibitors do? - ANS - Prevent the breakdown of acetylcholine, a

chemical messenger that is important for learning and memory


- Supports communication among nerve cells by keeping the acetylcholine high




What are some commonly prescribed cholinesterase inhibitors? - ANS - Donepezil (aricept)


- Galantamine (razadyne)


- Rivastigmine (exeleon)




Which cholinesterase inhibitor can be used for all stages of Alzheimer's? - ANS - Donepezil

(aricept)




Which cholinesterase inhibitor can be used for mild-to-moderate stages of Alzheimer's? -

ANS - Galantamine (razadyne)


- Rivastigmine (exeleon)


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,Which cholinesterase inhibitor can be used for mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's and Parkinson's? -

ANS - Rivastigmine (exeleon)




What medication combination is used to treat moderate-to-severe Alzheimer's? - ANS -

Memantine (namenda) and donepezil (aricept)




What is memantine (namenda) used for? - ANS - Prescribed to improve memory, attention,

reason, language, and the ability to perform simple tasks


- Can be used alone or with other Alzheimer's disease treatments




How does memantine (namenda) work? - ANS - Regulates the activity of glutamate, a

chemical involved in information processing, storage, and retrieval


- Improves mental functioning and ability to perform daily activities for some people




What is the difference in MOA between cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine (namenda)? -

ANS - Cholinesterase inhibitors prevent the breakdown of acetylcholine, whereas memantine

(namenda) regulates the activity of glutamate



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, What is ataxia? - ANS - Also known as cerebellum attacks


- Degenerative disease of the nervous system


- Many symptoms mimic those of being drunk (i.e. slurred speech, stumbling, falling, and

incoordination)




What causes the symptoms of ataxia? - ANS - The damage caused to the cerebellum, the part

of the brain that is responsible for coordinating movements


- Can also be caused by damage to part of the spinal cord and nerves




What is the treatment for ataxia? - ANS - No treatment


- In some cases, treating the underlying causes (i.e. stopping medications that cause ataxia)


- In other cases, it is a result from chicken pox or other viral infections (likely to resolve on its

own)


- Genetic causes/predisposed disposition is usually chronic




What causes ataxia in the pediatric population? - ANS - Genetic predisposition


- Fragile X-Associated Tremor/Ataxia Syndrome (FXTAS)

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