WGU D345: PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY 2026/2027 | 100% VERIFIED EXAM
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS | LATEST WESTERN GOVERNORS UNIVERSITY
OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT | NEWEST
1. Which neurotransmitter is primarily metabolized by monoamine oxidase
(MAO)?
• A) Acetylcholine
• B) GABA
• C) Norepinephrine
• D) Glutamate
• ANSWER : C) Norepinephrine
2. The enzyme acetylcholinesterase is responsible for:
• A) Synthesizing acetylcholine
• B) Breaking down acetylcholine
• C) Transporting dopamine
• D) Producing serotonin
• ANSWER : B) Breaking down acetylcholine
3. Dopamine is synthesized from which amino acid precursor?
• A) Tryptophan
• B) Tyrosine
• C) Phenylalanine
• D) Glutamine
• ANSWER : B) Tyrosine
4. The NMDA receptor is primarily associated with which neurotransmitter?
• A) GABA
, • B) Glycine
• C) Glutamate
• D) Serotonin
• ANSWER : C) Glutamate
5. Which GABA receptor subtype is primarily responsible for the sedative
effects of benzodiazepines?
• A) GABA-A
• B) GABA-B
• C) GABA-C
• D) Metabotropic GABA
• ANSWER : A) GABA-A
6. The term "first-pass metabolism" refers to:
• A) Initial drug absorption in the stomach
• B) Hepatic metabolism before systemic circulation
• C) Renal excretion of unchanged drug
• D) Drug distribution to the brain
• ANSWER : B) Hepatic metabolism before systemic circulation
7. Which cytochrome P450 enzyme is most commonly involved in drug-drug
interactions with psychiatric medications?
• A) CYP1A2
• B) CYP2D6
• C) CYP2C19
• D) CYP3A4
• ANSWER : D) CYP3A4
8. The therapeutic index of a drug is defined as:
• A) Ratio of effective dose to toxic dose
• B) Ratio of toxic dose to effective dose
, • C) Time to reach peak concentration
• D) Volume of distribution
• ANSWER : B) Ratio of toxic dose to effective dose
9. Which mechanism describes how lithium is primarily excreted?
• A) Hepatic metabolism
• B) Glomerular filtration without tubular reabsorption
• C) Tubular reabsorption competing with sodium
• D) Biliary excretion
• ANSWER : C) Tubular reabsorption competing with sodium
10. The blood-brain barrier is most permeable to:
• A) Large polar molecules
• B) Small lipophilic molecules
• C) Ionized compounds
• D) Plasma proteins
• ANSWER : B) Small lipophilic molecules
11. Tachyphylaxis refers to:
• A) Delayed drug response
• B) Rapidly developing tolerance
• C) Increased sensitivity over time
• D) Allergic reaction
• ANSWER : B) Rapidly developing tolerance
12. Which second messenger system is primarily activated by dopamine D1
receptors?
• A) Phospholipase C
• B) Adenylyl cyclase stimulation (increased cAMP)
• C) Ion channel opening
• D) Tyrosine kinase activation
, • ANSWER : B) Adenylyl cyclase stimulation (increased cAMP)
13. The enzyme tryptophan hydroxylase is the rate-limiting step in:
• A) Dopamine synthesis
• B) Norepinephrine synthesis
• C) Serotonin synthesis
• D) GABA synthesis
• ANSWER : C) Serotonin synthesis
14. Which neurotransmitter is primarily stored in dense-core vesicles?
• A) GABA
• B) Glycine
• C) Catecholamines
• D) Glutamate
• ANSWER : C) Catecholamines
15. The term "inverse agonist" refers to a ligand that:
• A) Has opposite effects at a different receptor
• B) Stabilizes the inactive conformation of a receptor
• C) Blocks receptor activity completely
• D) Enhances neurotransmitter release
• ANSWER : B) Stabilizes the inactive conformation of a receptor
16. Which of the following is an example of an allosteric modulator?
• A) Haloperidol at D2 receptors
• B) Benzodiazepines at GABA-A receptors
• C) Fluoxetine at serotonin transporters
• D) Atropine at muscarinic receptors
• ANSWER : B) Benzodiazepines at GABA-A receptors
17. The concept of "receptor upregulation" typically occurs with:
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS | LATEST WESTERN GOVERNORS UNIVERSITY
OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT | NEWEST
1. Which neurotransmitter is primarily metabolized by monoamine oxidase
(MAO)?
• A) Acetylcholine
• B) GABA
• C) Norepinephrine
• D) Glutamate
• ANSWER : C) Norepinephrine
2. The enzyme acetylcholinesterase is responsible for:
• A) Synthesizing acetylcholine
• B) Breaking down acetylcholine
• C) Transporting dopamine
• D) Producing serotonin
• ANSWER : B) Breaking down acetylcholine
3. Dopamine is synthesized from which amino acid precursor?
• A) Tryptophan
• B) Tyrosine
• C) Phenylalanine
• D) Glutamine
• ANSWER : B) Tyrosine
4. The NMDA receptor is primarily associated with which neurotransmitter?
• A) GABA
, • B) Glycine
• C) Glutamate
• D) Serotonin
• ANSWER : C) Glutamate
5. Which GABA receptor subtype is primarily responsible for the sedative
effects of benzodiazepines?
• A) GABA-A
• B) GABA-B
• C) GABA-C
• D) Metabotropic GABA
• ANSWER : A) GABA-A
6. The term "first-pass metabolism" refers to:
• A) Initial drug absorption in the stomach
• B) Hepatic metabolism before systemic circulation
• C) Renal excretion of unchanged drug
• D) Drug distribution to the brain
• ANSWER : B) Hepatic metabolism before systemic circulation
7. Which cytochrome P450 enzyme is most commonly involved in drug-drug
interactions with psychiatric medications?
• A) CYP1A2
• B) CYP2D6
• C) CYP2C19
• D) CYP3A4
• ANSWER : D) CYP3A4
8. The therapeutic index of a drug is defined as:
• A) Ratio of effective dose to toxic dose
• B) Ratio of toxic dose to effective dose
, • C) Time to reach peak concentration
• D) Volume of distribution
• ANSWER : B) Ratio of toxic dose to effective dose
9. Which mechanism describes how lithium is primarily excreted?
• A) Hepatic metabolism
• B) Glomerular filtration without tubular reabsorption
• C) Tubular reabsorption competing with sodium
• D) Biliary excretion
• ANSWER : C) Tubular reabsorption competing with sodium
10. The blood-brain barrier is most permeable to:
• A) Large polar molecules
• B) Small lipophilic molecules
• C) Ionized compounds
• D) Plasma proteins
• ANSWER : B) Small lipophilic molecules
11. Tachyphylaxis refers to:
• A) Delayed drug response
• B) Rapidly developing tolerance
• C) Increased sensitivity over time
• D) Allergic reaction
• ANSWER : B) Rapidly developing tolerance
12. Which second messenger system is primarily activated by dopamine D1
receptors?
• A) Phospholipase C
• B) Adenylyl cyclase stimulation (increased cAMP)
• C) Ion channel opening
• D) Tyrosine kinase activation
, • ANSWER : B) Adenylyl cyclase stimulation (increased cAMP)
13. The enzyme tryptophan hydroxylase is the rate-limiting step in:
• A) Dopamine synthesis
• B) Norepinephrine synthesis
• C) Serotonin synthesis
• D) GABA synthesis
• ANSWER : C) Serotonin synthesis
14. Which neurotransmitter is primarily stored in dense-core vesicles?
• A) GABA
• B) Glycine
• C) Catecholamines
• D) Glutamate
• ANSWER : C) Catecholamines
15. The term "inverse agonist" refers to a ligand that:
• A) Has opposite effects at a different receptor
• B) Stabilizes the inactive conformation of a receptor
• C) Blocks receptor activity completely
• D) Enhances neurotransmitter release
• ANSWER : B) Stabilizes the inactive conformation of a receptor
16. Which of the following is an example of an allosteric modulator?
• A) Haloperidol at D2 receptors
• B) Benzodiazepines at GABA-A receptors
• C) Fluoxetine at serotonin transporters
• D) Atropine at muscarinic receptors
• ANSWER : B) Benzodiazepines at GABA-A receptors
17. The concept of "receptor upregulation" typically occurs with:
