NURS 5357 NEUROBIOLOGY EXAM 1 QUESTIONS ANSWERED CORRECTLY LATEST UPDATE 2026
What are the three major hypotheses of psychosis and their neurotransmitter networks? - Answers
Dopamine theory - hyperactive dopamine at D2 receptors in the mesolimbic pathway
Glutamate theory - NMDA receptor hypofunction
Serotonin theory - 5HT2A receptor hyperfunction in the cortex
Briefly explain the dopamine hypothesis of the positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. -
Answers The dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia consists of:
There is too much dopamine activity in the mesolimbic dopamine pathway, which leads to positive
symptoms (such as hallucinations and delusions).
There is also too little dopamine activity in the mesocortical dopamine pathway, which leads to
negative symptoms (such as blunting of affect, poverty of speech, anhedonia, and so on).
What pathway is responsible for regulating dopamine in the hypothalamus and affects the release of
prolactin? - Answers Tuberoinfundibular pathway
Drug-induced Parkinson's is caused by a decrease of dopamine in what pathway? - Answers
Nigrostriatal pathway
Brodmann's areas are differentiated by the: - Answers Cellular architecture
All of the following are true about the hippocampus except that it: - Answers Is disrupted by frontal
lobotomy
Which of the following statements is true about the cerebellum: - Answers Has been implicated in
autism.
Cytokines are involved with all of the following except: - Answers identifying T. pallidum
Which of the following is a possible explanation for schizophrenia: - Answers Excessive pruning
Possible explanations for the role of thyroid hormone in mood disorders include all of the following
except: - Answers Changes in GR's
All of the following are plausible theories on the etiology of schizophrenia except? - Answers
Dopamine hypothesis
Auditory hallucinations have been shown to activate which region on fMRI? - Answers Superior
temporal lobe
All of the following suggest white matter impairment in schizophrenia except? - Answers Significantly
reduced white matter volume
Evidence that GABA interneurons are impaired in schizophrenia - Answers Reduced GAD67
All of the following support the reduced neuropil hypothesis except? - Answers oligodendrocyte
dysfunction
Evidence that schizophrenia is a biological disorder includes all of the following except? - Answers
Gliosis in the prefrontal cortex
Neurodevelopmental causes that could explain schizophrenia include excessive amounts of all of the
following except: - Answers Myelination
The NP's discuss a patient diagnosed with schizophrenia. The PMHNP knows that which of the
following groups of symptoms is most likely to be categorized as "negative symptoms" of
schizophrenia? - Answers Blunted affect, poor rapport, lack of spontaneity
There is a genetic contribution to some, perhaps all, forms of schizophrenia. In the case of
monozygotic twins who have identical genetic makeup, there is an approximately 50 percent chance
for them to develop schizophrenia. - Answers True
Princess, a 22-year-old female, presents with schizophrenia characterized by the presence of positive,
negative, cognitive, and affective symptoms. Which symptom dimension of schizophrenia is most
effectively treated with antipsychotics? - Answers Positive symptoms
Which of the following models is the best explanation for the persistence of tardive dyskinesia
symptoms in most patients after withdrawal of antipsychotic medication? - Answers All of the other
answers.
Treatment with dopamine 2 receptor antagonists/partial antagonists with antipsychotics may cause
secondary negative symptoms through their actions on which of the following pathways? - Answers
Mesolimbic/mesostriatal and mesocortical pathways
What part of the brain would be involved in the outcome of deciding to think something over before
acting on it? - Answers Frontal lobe
The limbic system is associated with which of the following: - Answers Survival instinct
, Broca's area and Wernicke's area are associated with which of the following: - Answers Language
production and comprehension of speech
What makes axon communication faster between the spine and the neurons in the feet? - Answers
Myelin sheath
If you are stressed out by this exam, the hormone response will likely be which of the following: -
Answers Cortisol
You hear a buzzing insect sound and immediately start swatting your hands around.
What brain structure is likely involved in your fear? - Answers Amygdala
Which of the following terms best describes the study of DNA that is modified by environmental
events and the genetic changes that are transmitted to offspring? - Answers Epigenetics
Which of the following is a positive symptom of schizophrenia? - Answers Inappropriate affect
Which of the following is a negative symptom of schizophrenia? - Answers Social withdrawal
Patients with schizophrenia who tend to have the poorest outcomes are those with: - Answers
Negative symptoms
Communication between human CNS neurons at synapses is: - Answers Chemical
The direct role of transcription factors is to: - Answers Influence gene expression
Which of the following is the most likely impetus for upregulation of D2 receptors on a striatal
dopamine neuron? - Answers A D2 antagonist persistently binds to the receptor
What are the molecular mechanisms of epigenetics? - Answers Molecular gates are closed by
deacetylation and/or methylation of histones, preventing access of transcription factors to genes,
thus silencing them. Molecular gates are opened by deacetylation and/or methylation of histones,
allowing transcription factors access to genes, thus activating them.
N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors are activated by: - Answers Glutamate, glycine, and
depolarization
Neurogenesis occurs in adults: - Answers In the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus and in the olfactory
bulb
A 24-year-old woman is hospitalized after an altercation in which she screamed at and attacked her
neighbor when he knocked on her door. Her mother reports that she has been increasingly erratic
recently, with emotional outbursts and impulsive behavior.
Which of the following brain regions is most likely associated with these symptoms? - Answers Orbital
frontal cortex
A major current hypothesis for the cause of schizophrenia proposes that N-methyl-d-aspartate
(NMDA) receptors may be: - Answers Hypofunctional
According to the dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia, which underlying neurobiological
mechanisms are associated with positive symptoms? - Answers Hyperactive mesolimbic pathway
Frank is a 24-year-old patient recently diagnosed with schizophrenia. He is currently taking an
antipsychotic, and his psychosis symptoms are reasonably well resolved. At a follow-up visit, you
notice that Frank does not seem to be able to sit still; he is constantly pacing the examining room, and
when he does sit down, he rocks back and forth, fidgets, and repetitively crosses and uncrosses his
legs.
Drug-induced akathisia is caused by: - Answers The pathophysiology is not known
Which of the following is an example that represents the influence of genetics on behavior and traits?
- Answers A young boy inherits his outgoing personality from his father.
Adult neurogenesis happens in which area of the brain? - Answers Hippocampus
Threatening objects produce a startle response prior to a person becoming consciously aware of the
objects. This happens because of the thalamus connection to what? - Answers Amygdala
What neurodevelopmental process predominantly occurs during adolescence and young adulthood
and is an explanation for why adults are superior to adolescents in abstract thinking after undergoing
this process? - Answers Synaptic pruning
1. Brodmann's areas are differentiated by the a. Cortical morphology. b. Cellular architecture. c.
Afferent connections. d. Predominant neurotransmitter. - Answers b. Cellular architecture.
2. The orbitofrontal aspect of the PFC describes the area a. Above the corpus callosum. b. Posterior to
the amygdala. c. At the base of the PFC. d. Anterior to the cingulate gyrus. - Answers c. At the base of
the PFC
3. Lesions of the medical (also ventromedial) PFC are associated with a. Paucity of spontaneous
behavior—apathetic. b. Disorganized cognitive function. c. Concrete thinking. d. Poor impulse control.
- Answers a. Paucity of spontaneous behavior—apathetic.
What are the three major hypotheses of psychosis and their neurotransmitter networks? - Answers
Dopamine theory - hyperactive dopamine at D2 receptors in the mesolimbic pathway
Glutamate theory - NMDA receptor hypofunction
Serotonin theory - 5HT2A receptor hyperfunction in the cortex
Briefly explain the dopamine hypothesis of the positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. -
Answers The dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia consists of:
There is too much dopamine activity in the mesolimbic dopamine pathway, which leads to positive
symptoms (such as hallucinations and delusions).
There is also too little dopamine activity in the mesocortical dopamine pathway, which leads to
negative symptoms (such as blunting of affect, poverty of speech, anhedonia, and so on).
What pathway is responsible for regulating dopamine in the hypothalamus and affects the release of
prolactin? - Answers Tuberoinfundibular pathway
Drug-induced Parkinson's is caused by a decrease of dopamine in what pathway? - Answers
Nigrostriatal pathway
Brodmann's areas are differentiated by the: - Answers Cellular architecture
All of the following are true about the hippocampus except that it: - Answers Is disrupted by frontal
lobotomy
Which of the following statements is true about the cerebellum: - Answers Has been implicated in
autism.
Cytokines are involved with all of the following except: - Answers identifying T. pallidum
Which of the following is a possible explanation for schizophrenia: - Answers Excessive pruning
Possible explanations for the role of thyroid hormone in mood disorders include all of the following
except: - Answers Changes in GR's
All of the following are plausible theories on the etiology of schizophrenia except? - Answers
Dopamine hypothesis
Auditory hallucinations have been shown to activate which region on fMRI? - Answers Superior
temporal lobe
All of the following suggest white matter impairment in schizophrenia except? - Answers Significantly
reduced white matter volume
Evidence that GABA interneurons are impaired in schizophrenia - Answers Reduced GAD67
All of the following support the reduced neuropil hypothesis except? - Answers oligodendrocyte
dysfunction
Evidence that schizophrenia is a biological disorder includes all of the following except? - Answers
Gliosis in the prefrontal cortex
Neurodevelopmental causes that could explain schizophrenia include excessive amounts of all of the
following except: - Answers Myelination
The NP's discuss a patient diagnosed with schizophrenia. The PMHNP knows that which of the
following groups of symptoms is most likely to be categorized as "negative symptoms" of
schizophrenia? - Answers Blunted affect, poor rapport, lack of spontaneity
There is a genetic contribution to some, perhaps all, forms of schizophrenia. In the case of
monozygotic twins who have identical genetic makeup, there is an approximately 50 percent chance
for them to develop schizophrenia. - Answers True
Princess, a 22-year-old female, presents with schizophrenia characterized by the presence of positive,
negative, cognitive, and affective symptoms. Which symptom dimension of schizophrenia is most
effectively treated with antipsychotics? - Answers Positive symptoms
Which of the following models is the best explanation for the persistence of tardive dyskinesia
symptoms in most patients after withdrawal of antipsychotic medication? - Answers All of the other
answers.
Treatment with dopamine 2 receptor antagonists/partial antagonists with antipsychotics may cause
secondary negative symptoms through their actions on which of the following pathways? - Answers
Mesolimbic/mesostriatal and mesocortical pathways
What part of the brain would be involved in the outcome of deciding to think something over before
acting on it? - Answers Frontal lobe
The limbic system is associated with which of the following: - Answers Survival instinct
, Broca's area and Wernicke's area are associated with which of the following: - Answers Language
production and comprehension of speech
What makes axon communication faster between the spine and the neurons in the feet? - Answers
Myelin sheath
If you are stressed out by this exam, the hormone response will likely be which of the following: -
Answers Cortisol
You hear a buzzing insect sound and immediately start swatting your hands around.
What brain structure is likely involved in your fear? - Answers Amygdala
Which of the following terms best describes the study of DNA that is modified by environmental
events and the genetic changes that are transmitted to offspring? - Answers Epigenetics
Which of the following is a positive symptom of schizophrenia? - Answers Inappropriate affect
Which of the following is a negative symptom of schizophrenia? - Answers Social withdrawal
Patients with schizophrenia who tend to have the poorest outcomes are those with: - Answers
Negative symptoms
Communication between human CNS neurons at synapses is: - Answers Chemical
The direct role of transcription factors is to: - Answers Influence gene expression
Which of the following is the most likely impetus for upregulation of D2 receptors on a striatal
dopamine neuron? - Answers A D2 antagonist persistently binds to the receptor
What are the molecular mechanisms of epigenetics? - Answers Molecular gates are closed by
deacetylation and/or methylation of histones, preventing access of transcription factors to genes,
thus silencing them. Molecular gates are opened by deacetylation and/or methylation of histones,
allowing transcription factors access to genes, thus activating them.
N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors are activated by: - Answers Glutamate, glycine, and
depolarization
Neurogenesis occurs in adults: - Answers In the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus and in the olfactory
bulb
A 24-year-old woman is hospitalized after an altercation in which she screamed at and attacked her
neighbor when he knocked on her door. Her mother reports that she has been increasingly erratic
recently, with emotional outbursts and impulsive behavior.
Which of the following brain regions is most likely associated with these symptoms? - Answers Orbital
frontal cortex
A major current hypothesis for the cause of schizophrenia proposes that N-methyl-d-aspartate
(NMDA) receptors may be: - Answers Hypofunctional
According to the dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia, which underlying neurobiological
mechanisms are associated with positive symptoms? - Answers Hyperactive mesolimbic pathway
Frank is a 24-year-old patient recently diagnosed with schizophrenia. He is currently taking an
antipsychotic, and his psychosis symptoms are reasonably well resolved. At a follow-up visit, you
notice that Frank does not seem to be able to sit still; he is constantly pacing the examining room, and
when he does sit down, he rocks back and forth, fidgets, and repetitively crosses and uncrosses his
legs.
Drug-induced akathisia is caused by: - Answers The pathophysiology is not known
Which of the following is an example that represents the influence of genetics on behavior and traits?
- Answers A young boy inherits his outgoing personality from his father.
Adult neurogenesis happens in which area of the brain? - Answers Hippocampus
Threatening objects produce a startle response prior to a person becoming consciously aware of the
objects. This happens because of the thalamus connection to what? - Answers Amygdala
What neurodevelopmental process predominantly occurs during adolescence and young adulthood
and is an explanation for why adults are superior to adolescents in abstract thinking after undergoing
this process? - Answers Synaptic pruning
1. Brodmann's areas are differentiated by the a. Cortical morphology. b. Cellular architecture. c.
Afferent connections. d. Predominant neurotransmitter. - Answers b. Cellular architecture.
2. The orbitofrontal aspect of the PFC describes the area a. Above the corpus callosum. b. Posterior to
the amygdala. c. At the base of the PFC. d. Anterior to the cingulate gyrus. - Answers c. At the base of
the PFC
3. Lesions of the medical (also ventromedial) PFC are associated with a. Paucity of spontaneous
behavior—apathetic. b. Disorganized cognitive function. c. Concrete thinking. d. Poor impulse control.
- Answers a. Paucity of spontaneous behavior—apathetic.
