NR 546 ANTIPSYCHOTICS TABLE WEEK 3 2026
ACTUAL TEST PAPER QUESTIONS SOLUTIONS
VERIFIED COMPLETE STUDY PACKAGE
◉ Dopamine pathway: mesolimbic.
Answer: location: Ventral tegmental area (VTA) within midbreain to
the nucleus accumbens (NA) in the limbic system
function: regulates emotional behaviors & associated with reward,
motivation, pleasure
symptoms: overactivation causes (+) symptoms and may be a
downstream consequence of prefrontal cortex dysfunction &
glutamate activity in the hippocampus
◉ Dopamine pathway: mesocortical.
Answer: location: ventral tegmental area (VTA) to the prefrontal
cortex (PFC). Specifically affecting dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
(DLPFC) & ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC)
function: regulates cognition, executive function, emotions, affect.
DLPFC-cognitive, (-) symptoms
VMPFC-affective & (-) symptoms
,symptoms: hypoactivation of pathway may cause (-), cognitive, &
affective symptoms
◉ dopamine pathway: nigrostriatal.
Answer: location: projects from substantia nigra (in midbrain) to
basal ganglia (striatum & globus pallidus)
function: part of extrapyramidal nervous system, controls posture &
voluntary motor movements
symptoms: imbalance of pathways causes movement disorders.
Common disorders-parkinson's and tremor.
Low dopamine in basal ganglia-akathisia & dystonia.
Hyperactivation of pathway-tics, dyskinesias, chorea.
Chronic blockade of D2 pathway-tardive dyskinesia.
◉ dopamine pathway: tuberinfundibular.
Answer: location: projects from hypothalamus to anterior pituitary
gland
function: dopamine inhibits prolactin release from pituitary
, symptoms: disruption of pathway causes prolactin level to rise
resulting in gynecomastia & galactorrhea.
Females-amenorrhea
Both may get sexual dysfunction
◉ neurobiological factors that contribute to psychosis and
schizophrnia.
Answer: -genetics
-neuroanatomy
-neural networks
-neural signaling
◉ neuroanatomy: symptoms associated with mesocortical and
ventromedial prefrontal cortex.
Answer: negative and affective symptoms
◉ neuroanatomy: symptoms associated with dorsolateral.
Answer: cognitive symptoms
◉ neuroanatomy: symptoms associated with orbitofrontal and
connections to amygdala.
Answer: aggressive, impulsive symptoms
ACTUAL TEST PAPER QUESTIONS SOLUTIONS
VERIFIED COMPLETE STUDY PACKAGE
◉ Dopamine pathway: mesolimbic.
Answer: location: Ventral tegmental area (VTA) within midbreain to
the nucleus accumbens (NA) in the limbic system
function: regulates emotional behaviors & associated with reward,
motivation, pleasure
symptoms: overactivation causes (+) symptoms and may be a
downstream consequence of prefrontal cortex dysfunction &
glutamate activity in the hippocampus
◉ Dopamine pathway: mesocortical.
Answer: location: ventral tegmental area (VTA) to the prefrontal
cortex (PFC). Specifically affecting dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
(DLPFC) & ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC)
function: regulates cognition, executive function, emotions, affect.
DLPFC-cognitive, (-) symptoms
VMPFC-affective & (-) symptoms
,symptoms: hypoactivation of pathway may cause (-), cognitive, &
affective symptoms
◉ dopamine pathway: nigrostriatal.
Answer: location: projects from substantia nigra (in midbrain) to
basal ganglia (striatum & globus pallidus)
function: part of extrapyramidal nervous system, controls posture &
voluntary motor movements
symptoms: imbalance of pathways causes movement disorders.
Common disorders-parkinson's and tremor.
Low dopamine in basal ganglia-akathisia & dystonia.
Hyperactivation of pathway-tics, dyskinesias, chorea.
Chronic blockade of D2 pathway-tardive dyskinesia.
◉ dopamine pathway: tuberinfundibular.
Answer: location: projects from hypothalamus to anterior pituitary
gland
function: dopamine inhibits prolactin release from pituitary
, symptoms: disruption of pathway causes prolactin level to rise
resulting in gynecomastia & galactorrhea.
Females-amenorrhea
Both may get sexual dysfunction
◉ neurobiological factors that contribute to psychosis and
schizophrnia.
Answer: -genetics
-neuroanatomy
-neural networks
-neural signaling
◉ neuroanatomy: symptoms associated with mesocortical and
ventromedial prefrontal cortex.
Answer: negative and affective symptoms
◉ neuroanatomy: symptoms associated with dorsolateral.
Answer: cognitive symptoms
◉ neuroanatomy: symptoms associated with orbitofrontal and
connections to amygdala.
Answer: aggressive, impulsive symptoms
