2026 TEST PAPER QUESTIONS AND
COMPLETE SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
⩥ An 18-year-old was brought into the emergency room because she
was found on the streets at 2:00 a.m. stating she was campaigning for the
next president and was writing his speeches. Police reported she was
alone and yelling at oncoming cars and insisting they join her campaign
to elect the next president. Concerns for her safety is what led the police
to bring her to the emergency room. This woman may be experiencing:
A) a manic episode.
B) a panic attack.
C) agoraphobia.
D) compulsive behavior? Answer: A
⩥ In a generalized anxiety disorder, anticipatory anxiety and attentional
bias to threats are thought be caused by:
A) serotonin and GABA surges.
B) cingulate cortex and amygdala abnormalities.
C) cholecystokinin receptor gene on chromosome 11p.
D) hypothalamic-pituitary thyroid system dysregulation.. Answer: B
,⩥ A patient with schizophrenia has hallucinations and delusions. These
thoughts and behaviors are termed:
A) positive symptoms.
B) negative symptoms.
C) affective symptoms.
D) cognitive symptoms.. Answer: A
⩥ Second-generation antipsychotics have which of the following effects
on neurotransmitters?
A) Dopamine and serotonin
B) Dopamine only
C) Serotonin only
D) Dopamine and glutamate. Answer: A
⩥ A patient with refractory depression will receive electroconvulsive
therapy. She would like more information about this therapy. What
information should be provided to her?
A) You will need to be on bedrest for 2 days after the procedure.
B) The procedure produces a brief brain seizure that activates various
brain areas.
C) The procedure is painless, so usually no anesthesia is necessary.
D) You will have to reduce your intake of food after, due to the risk of
vomiting.. Answer: B
,⩥ What symptoms must be present for a patient to be diagnosed with
major depressive disorder?
A) Indecisiveness
B) Feeling of sadness
C) Fatigue
D) Insomnia. Answer: B
⩥ An 18-year-old patient describes that he needs to wash his hands
multiple times a day because he is concerned about germs. He said this
started when he was about 12 years old. This behavior is a description
of:
A) an obsession.
B) a compulsion.
C) paranoia.
D) delusions.. Answer: B
⩥ Alterations in __________ have been associated with the development
of mental health disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, and
schizophrenia.
A) chromosomes 8 and 15
B) chromosomes 5 and 6
C) chromosomes 1 and 2
D) chromosomes 3 and 10. Answer: D
, ⩥ What is the relationship between the hypothalamic pituitary axis and
depression?
A) Reduction in cortisol
B) Reduced production of corticotropin-releasing hormone
C) Increased production of corticotropin-releasing hormone
D) Low levels of gamma aminobutyric acid. Answer: C
⩥ Which of the following essential amino acids is a precursor to
serotonin?
A) Tryptophan
B) Glutamate
C) Choline
D) Dopamine. Answer: A
⩥ 30-year-old male patient is in the emergency room because he was
belligerent, confused, and delirious. His girlfriend called the police
because of this behavior, and she said it started after smoking marijuana.
Suspicions are that the marijuana was altered with phencyclidine (PCP).
Which receptors are mainly altered by PCP?
A) N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)
B) Serotonin receptors
C) Monoamine receptors
D) Dopamine receptors. Answer: A