NRNP 6635 Final Exam Questions and
Answers (2025/2026)
Question 1
Select the mental function that is most affected in mild cognitive impairment.
A) Executive function
B) Language
C) Visuospatial skills
D) Recent memory
Answer: D) Recent memory
Rationale: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) primarily affects recent memory function.
Patients typically have difficulty recalling recent events or conversations while long-term
memory remains relatively intact. This distinguishes MCI from normal aging and early
dementia .
Question 2
Select the most frequent cause of infant and childhood intellectual disability that is
attributed to a specific gene.
,A) Fragile X syndrome
B) Phenylketonuria
C) Down syndrome
D) Tay-Sachs disease
Answer: C) Down syndrome
Rationale: Down syndrome (trisomy 21) is the most common genetic cause of intellectual
disability in infants and children. It accounts for approximately one-third of all moderate
to severe intellectual disability cases attributed to a specific chromosomal abnormality .
Question 3
Select the neurotransmitter that is most associated with the occurrence of ADHD.
A) Serotonin
B) Dopamine
C) GABA
D) Acetylcholine
Answer: B) Dopamine
Rationale: Dopamine dysregulation in the prefrontal cortex and striatum is strongly
implicated in ADHD pathophysiology. This explains the effectiveness of stimulant
medications that increase dopamine availability. The dopamine hypothesis is supported by
genetic, neuroimaging, and psychopharmacological evidence .
Question 4
Select the drug of choice to treat psychosis in delirious patients.
,A) Olanzapine
B) Risperidone
C) Quetiapine
D) Haloperidol
Answer: D) Haloperidol
Rationale: Haloperidol (a high-potency typical antipsychotic) is preferred for managing
psychosis in delirium due to its rapid onset, availability in multiple routes (IV, IM, PO), and
fewer anticholinergic effects compared to other antipsychotics. It is used at low doses with
careful monitoring for extrapyramidal side effects .
Question 5
Select the characteristic that is greater in childhood than adult onset schizophrenia.
A) Auditory hallucinations
B) Social withdrawal
C) Paranoid delusions
D) Disorganized speech
Answer: B) Social withdrawal
Rationale: Social withdrawal and premorbid social impairment are more prominent in
childhood-onset schizophrenia compared to adult-onset forms. Children with early-onset
schizophrenia often display significant social deficits, poor peer relationships, and social
isolation that may precede psychotic symptoms .
, Question 6
Select the personality disorder in which patients are continually in crisis and exhibit
unpredictable behavior.
A) Histrionic personality disorder
B) Antisocial personality disorder
C) Borderline personality disorder
D) Narcissistic personality disorder
Answer: C) Borderline personality disorder
Rationale: Borderline personality disorder is characterized by a pervasive pattern of
instability in interpersonal relationships, self-image, and affect, with marked impulsivity.
Patients often present with recurrent crises, unpredictable emotional responses, and self-
destructive behaviors .
Question 7
Select the factor that best correlates with attempted and completed suicide.
A) Mental illness
B) Substance abuse
C) Family history
D) Unemployment
Answer: A) Mental illness
Rationale: Mental illness, particularly major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and
schizophrenia, is the strongest risk factor for both attempted and completed suicide. Over
90% of individuals who die by suicide have a diagnosable psychiatric disorder at the time
of death .
Answers (2025/2026)
Question 1
Select the mental function that is most affected in mild cognitive impairment.
A) Executive function
B) Language
C) Visuospatial skills
D) Recent memory
Answer: D) Recent memory
Rationale: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) primarily affects recent memory function.
Patients typically have difficulty recalling recent events or conversations while long-term
memory remains relatively intact. This distinguishes MCI from normal aging and early
dementia .
Question 2
Select the most frequent cause of infant and childhood intellectual disability that is
attributed to a specific gene.
,A) Fragile X syndrome
B) Phenylketonuria
C) Down syndrome
D) Tay-Sachs disease
Answer: C) Down syndrome
Rationale: Down syndrome (trisomy 21) is the most common genetic cause of intellectual
disability in infants and children. It accounts for approximately one-third of all moderate
to severe intellectual disability cases attributed to a specific chromosomal abnormality .
Question 3
Select the neurotransmitter that is most associated with the occurrence of ADHD.
A) Serotonin
B) Dopamine
C) GABA
D) Acetylcholine
Answer: B) Dopamine
Rationale: Dopamine dysregulation in the prefrontal cortex and striatum is strongly
implicated in ADHD pathophysiology. This explains the effectiveness of stimulant
medications that increase dopamine availability. The dopamine hypothesis is supported by
genetic, neuroimaging, and psychopharmacological evidence .
Question 4
Select the drug of choice to treat psychosis in delirious patients.
,A) Olanzapine
B) Risperidone
C) Quetiapine
D) Haloperidol
Answer: D) Haloperidol
Rationale: Haloperidol (a high-potency typical antipsychotic) is preferred for managing
psychosis in delirium due to its rapid onset, availability in multiple routes (IV, IM, PO), and
fewer anticholinergic effects compared to other antipsychotics. It is used at low doses with
careful monitoring for extrapyramidal side effects .
Question 5
Select the characteristic that is greater in childhood than adult onset schizophrenia.
A) Auditory hallucinations
B) Social withdrawal
C) Paranoid delusions
D) Disorganized speech
Answer: B) Social withdrawal
Rationale: Social withdrawal and premorbid social impairment are more prominent in
childhood-onset schizophrenia compared to adult-onset forms. Children with early-onset
schizophrenia often display significant social deficits, poor peer relationships, and social
isolation that may precede psychotic symptoms .
, Question 6
Select the personality disorder in which patients are continually in crisis and exhibit
unpredictable behavior.
A) Histrionic personality disorder
B) Antisocial personality disorder
C) Borderline personality disorder
D) Narcissistic personality disorder
Answer: C) Borderline personality disorder
Rationale: Borderline personality disorder is characterized by a pervasive pattern of
instability in interpersonal relationships, self-image, and affect, with marked impulsivity.
Patients often present with recurrent crises, unpredictable emotional responses, and self-
destructive behaviors .
Question 7
Select the factor that best correlates with attempted and completed suicide.
A) Mental illness
B) Substance abuse
C) Family history
D) Unemployment
Answer: A) Mental illness
Rationale: Mental illness, particularly major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and
schizophrenia, is the strongest risk factor for both attempted and completed suicide. Over
90% of individuals who die by suicide have a diagnosable psychiatric disorder at the time
of death .
