NURS N512 Midterm Study Guide Week 4 | Questions &
Answers | 2026 Update | American Sentinel University| PDF
CHAPTER 16 Questions
1. Which statement is true regarding the specificity theory of pain?
A. Focuses on the attention of pain
B. Focuses on the previous experience of pain
C. Relates the amount of pain to the amount of soft tissue
injury Correct
The specificity theory of pain postulates that the intensity
of pain is directly related to the amount of associated
tissue injury. It does not take into account previous
experience, emotions, or attention to pain.
D. Is related to the emotions exhibited toward pain
2. Which two systems regulate the complex emotional responses to pain?
A. Frontal and cerebellar lobes
B. Limbic and reticular systems Correct
The reticular and limbic systems regulate how an individual
emotionally responds to pain.
C. Thalamus and brainstem
D. Midbrain and nuclei of thalamus
3. Which is an excitatory neurotransmitter?
A. Glutamate Correct
Glutamate and aspartate are the most common excitatory
neurotransmitters in the brain and spinal cord. GABA and
glycine are inhibitory. Substance P is contained in the
neurons that synapse with GABA and glycine, and they
inhibit pain.
B. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)
C. Glycine
D. Substance P
4. What is the definition of perceptual dominance?
A. Duration of time or intensity before overt pain responses
is regulated.
B. Pain at one location may mask pain at another
location. Correct
Perceptual dominance is pain at one location that may
cause an increase in the threshold of pain at another
location. For example, when a person has severe pain in
the leg, neck pain might not be felt. Pain tolerance is the
duration of time or intensity of pain before overt pain
responses are initiated. Repeated exposure to pain usually
, decreases pain tolerance. The pain threshold is the point at
which pain is perceived.
C. Repeated exposure to pain.
D. The point at which pain is perceived.
5. Which is classified as a myofascial pain syndrome?
A. Muscle strain Correct
Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is a regional pain
syndrome associated with injury to muscle, fascia, and
tendons and includes myositis, fibrositis, myofibrositis,
myalgia, and muscle strain. These conditions involve
myofascial trigger points within a taut band of skeletal
muscle. The pain may be the result of low-threshold
mechanosensitive afferents projecting to sensitized dorsal
horn neurons and the development of peripheral and
central sensitization.
B. Mastectomy
C. Neck dissection
D. Surgical amputation
6. Which part of the brain is responsible for temperature regulation?
A. Thalamus
B. Medulla
C. Hypothalamus Correct
The hypothalamus is responsible for temperature
regulation. The thalamus helps regulate sleep. The medulla
helps to regulate several functions including breathing and
blood vessel function. Also, sensory and motor neurons
from the forebrain and midbrain travel through the
medulla. The limbic system regulates the emotional
response to pain.
D. Limbic system
7. Which mechanism of heat loss involves electromagnetic waves?
A. Radiation Correct
Radiation is heat loss through electromagnetic waves.
Conduction is heat loss by direct molecule-to-molecule
transfer. Convection is the transfer of heat through
currents of gases or liquids. Evaporation is the transfer of
heat with the conversion of liquid to gas.
B. Conduction
C. Convection
, D. Evaporation
8. Which is a benefit of fever?
A. Decreased lymphocytic transformation
B. Diminished phagocytosis response
C. Decreased calcium concentration
D. Deprives bacteria of a food source Correct
Fever has benefits. The higher body temperature
decreases serum levels of iron, zinc, and copper, all of
which are needed for bacterial replication. It switches from
burning glucose to lipolysis and proteolysis, thus depriving
bacteria of a food source. Lymphocytic transformation is
increased, increasing the immune response, and
phagocytosis is increased.
9. Which are free nerve endings in the afferent peripheral nervous system that
selectively respond to different chemical, mechanical, and thermal stimuli?
A. Nociceptors Correct
Nociceptors are receptors located throughout the body that
respond to pain. Prostaglandins are lipid compounds that
have hormone-like effects in the body. Enkephalins are the
most prevalent of the natural opioids and bind to δ opioid
receptors. Dynorphins are the most potent of the
endogenous opioids binding strongly with κ receptors to
impede pain signals in the brain.
B. Prostaglandins
C. Enkephalins
D. Dynorphins
10. Which type of pain arises from connective tissue, muscle, bone, and skin?
A. Somatic Correct
Somatic pain arises from connective tissue, muscle, bone,
and skin. It may be sharp and well organized or dull,
aching, and poorly localized. Referred pain is pain felt in an
area removed or distant from its point of origin.
Neuropathic pain is chronic pain initiated or caused by a
primary lesion or dysfunction in the nervous system and
leads to long-term changes in pain pathway structures
(neuroplasticity) and abnormal processing of sensory
information. Segmental is not a type of pain.
B. Referred
C. Neuropathic
D. Segmental
Answers | 2026 Update | American Sentinel University| PDF
CHAPTER 16 Questions
1. Which statement is true regarding the specificity theory of pain?
A. Focuses on the attention of pain
B. Focuses on the previous experience of pain
C. Relates the amount of pain to the amount of soft tissue
injury Correct
The specificity theory of pain postulates that the intensity
of pain is directly related to the amount of associated
tissue injury. It does not take into account previous
experience, emotions, or attention to pain.
D. Is related to the emotions exhibited toward pain
2. Which two systems regulate the complex emotional responses to pain?
A. Frontal and cerebellar lobes
B. Limbic and reticular systems Correct
The reticular and limbic systems regulate how an individual
emotionally responds to pain.
C. Thalamus and brainstem
D. Midbrain and nuclei of thalamus
3. Which is an excitatory neurotransmitter?
A. Glutamate Correct
Glutamate and aspartate are the most common excitatory
neurotransmitters in the brain and spinal cord. GABA and
glycine are inhibitory. Substance P is contained in the
neurons that synapse with GABA and glycine, and they
inhibit pain.
B. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)
C. Glycine
D. Substance P
4. What is the definition of perceptual dominance?
A. Duration of time or intensity before overt pain responses
is regulated.
B. Pain at one location may mask pain at another
location. Correct
Perceptual dominance is pain at one location that may
cause an increase in the threshold of pain at another
location. For example, when a person has severe pain in
the leg, neck pain might not be felt. Pain tolerance is the
duration of time or intensity of pain before overt pain
responses are initiated. Repeated exposure to pain usually
, decreases pain tolerance. The pain threshold is the point at
which pain is perceived.
C. Repeated exposure to pain.
D. The point at which pain is perceived.
5. Which is classified as a myofascial pain syndrome?
A. Muscle strain Correct
Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is a regional pain
syndrome associated with injury to muscle, fascia, and
tendons and includes myositis, fibrositis, myofibrositis,
myalgia, and muscle strain. These conditions involve
myofascial trigger points within a taut band of skeletal
muscle. The pain may be the result of low-threshold
mechanosensitive afferents projecting to sensitized dorsal
horn neurons and the development of peripheral and
central sensitization.
B. Mastectomy
C. Neck dissection
D. Surgical amputation
6. Which part of the brain is responsible for temperature regulation?
A. Thalamus
B. Medulla
C. Hypothalamus Correct
The hypothalamus is responsible for temperature
regulation. The thalamus helps regulate sleep. The medulla
helps to regulate several functions including breathing and
blood vessel function. Also, sensory and motor neurons
from the forebrain and midbrain travel through the
medulla. The limbic system regulates the emotional
response to pain.
D. Limbic system
7. Which mechanism of heat loss involves electromagnetic waves?
A. Radiation Correct
Radiation is heat loss through electromagnetic waves.
Conduction is heat loss by direct molecule-to-molecule
transfer. Convection is the transfer of heat through
currents of gases or liquids. Evaporation is the transfer of
heat with the conversion of liquid to gas.
B. Conduction
C. Convection
, D. Evaporation
8. Which is a benefit of fever?
A. Decreased lymphocytic transformation
B. Diminished phagocytosis response
C. Decreased calcium concentration
D. Deprives bacteria of a food source Correct
Fever has benefits. The higher body temperature
decreases serum levels of iron, zinc, and copper, all of
which are needed for bacterial replication. It switches from
burning glucose to lipolysis and proteolysis, thus depriving
bacteria of a food source. Lymphocytic transformation is
increased, increasing the immune response, and
phagocytosis is increased.
9. Which are free nerve endings in the afferent peripheral nervous system that
selectively respond to different chemical, mechanical, and thermal stimuli?
A. Nociceptors Correct
Nociceptors are receptors located throughout the body that
respond to pain. Prostaglandins are lipid compounds that
have hormone-like effects in the body. Enkephalins are the
most prevalent of the natural opioids and bind to δ opioid
receptors. Dynorphins are the most potent of the
endogenous opioids binding strongly with κ receptors to
impede pain signals in the brain.
B. Prostaglandins
C. Enkephalins
D. Dynorphins
10. Which type of pain arises from connective tissue, muscle, bone, and skin?
A. Somatic Correct
Somatic pain arises from connective tissue, muscle, bone,
and skin. It may be sharp and well organized or dull,
aching, and poorly localized. Referred pain is pain felt in an
area removed or distant from its point of origin.
Neuropathic pain is chronic pain initiated or caused by a
primary lesion or dysfunction in the nervous system and
leads to long-term changes in pain pathway structures
(neuroplasticity) and abnormal processing of sensory
information. Segmental is not a type of pain.
B. Referred
C. Neuropathic
D. Segmental
