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NR 846 Neurotransmitters Exam Study Guide| A Review Of 100 Real Multichoice Questions with Answers| Pass Guaranteed

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Master Neurotransmitters for Nursing & Med Exams: 100+ Q&A on Neurobiology, Pharmacology & Psychopharmacology (NCLEX, USMLE Prep) Conquer your nursing, medical, or pharmacology exams with this ultimate neurotransmitter study guide! Are you struggling to differentiate between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters? Confused about synthesis pathways, receptor types, or the pharmacology of mental health disorders? This comprehensive 100-question study guide is designed to cement your understanding of the core neurotransmitters that govern the central and peripheral nervous systems. NR 846 Neurotransmitters Exam Study Guide| A Review Of 100 Real Multichoice Questions with Answers| Pass Guaranteed 1. Which neurotransmitter is the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system? A. GABA B. Glycine C. Glutamate D. Serotonin Answer: C Rationale: Glutamate is the main excitatory neurotransmitter in the CNS, acting on AMPA, NMDA, and kainite receptors. GABA is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter. Glycine is also inhibitory and found primarily in the spinal cord. ________________________________________ 2. The primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system is: A. Glutamate B. Acetylcholine C. GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) D. Dopamine Answer: C Rationale: GABA is the principal inhibitory neurotransmitter in the CNS; it hyperpolarizes neurons via GABAA (ionotropic) and GABAB (metabotropic) receptors. GABA can account for approximately 40% of the inhibitory processing in the brain. ________________________________________ 3. Acetylcholine is synthesized from which precursors? A. Tyrosine and DOPA B. Choline and acetyl coenzyme A C. Tryptophan and 5-HTP D. Glutamine and glutamate Answer: B Rationale: Acetylcholine (ACh) is synthesized in cholinergic neurons by choline acetylase from its precursors, choline and acetyl coenzyme A. ________________________________________ 4. Which neurotransmitter is synthesized from the amino acid tyrosine? A. Serotonin B. Acetylcholine C. Dopamine D. GABA Answer: C Rationale: Dopamine is synthesized from tyrosine through a series of enzymatic reactions: tyrosine → L-DOPA → dopamine. Tyrosine hydroxylase catalyzes the rate-limiting step converting tyrosine to DOPA. ________________________________________ 5. Serotonin (5-HT) is synthesized from which amino acid? A. Tyrosine B. Tryptophan C. Histidine D. Glutamine Answer: B Rationale: Tryptophan is converted to 5-hydroxytryptophan by tryptophan hydroxylase, then to serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine). ________________________________________ 6. Which enzyme catalyzes the rate-limiting step in catecholamine synthesis? A. DOPA decarboxylase B. Tyrosine hydroxylase C. Dopamine β-hydroxylase D. Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Answer: B Rationale: Tyrosine hydroxylase catalyzes the conversion of tyrosine to DOPA, which is the rate-limiting step in catecholamine synthesis. ________________________________________ 7. The enzyme responsible for converting dopamine to norepinephrine is: A. Tyrosine hydroxylase B. DOPA decarboxylase C. Dopamine β-hydroxylase (DBH) D. Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Answer: C Rationale: Dopamine β-hydroxylase (DBH) is located in vesicles of noradrenergic neurons and adds a hydroxyl group to dopamine to form norepinephrine. ________________________________________ 8. Acetylcholine is inactivated in the synaptic cleft by which enzyme? A. Monoamine oxidase (MAO) B. Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) C. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) D. Tyrosine hydroxylase Answer: C Rationale: Acetylcholine released into the synaptic cleft is rapidly degraded by acetylcholinesterase, which terminates the transmitter action of ACh. ACh is unique in that it is inactivated by enzymatic degradation within the cleft itself. ________________________________________ 9. Which enzymes are responsible for the degradation of monoamine neurotransmitters? A. Acetylcholinesterase only B. Monoamine oxidase (MAO) and Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) C. Tyrosine hydroxylase and DOPA decarboxylase D. Choline acetylase only Answer: B Rationale: Monoamine oxidase (MAO) degrades monoamine neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, while COMT methylates catecholamines. ________________________________________ 10. Norepinephrine is the primary neurotransmitter of which division of the nervous system? A. Parasympathetic nervous system B. Sympathetic nervous system C. Somatic nervous system D. Enteric nervous system Answer: B Rationale: Norepinephrine is the major transmitter of the sympathetic nervous system, released from postganglionic sympathetic nerve terminals. ________________________________________ 11. Acetylcholine is the primary neurotransmitter of which division of the nervous system? A. Sympathetic nervous system B. Parasympathetic nervous system C. Somatic nervous system only D. Both parasympathetic and somatic nervous systems Answer: D Rationale: Acetylcholine is the major transmitter of the parasympathetic nervous system and is also the neurotransmitter at the neuromuscular junction in the somatic nervous system. Nerves that release acetylcholine are called cholinergic nerves.

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NR 846 Neurotransmitters Exam Study
Guide| A Review Of 100 Real Multichoice
Questions with Answers| Pass Guaranteed

1. Which neurotransmitter is the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the
central nervous system?
A. GABA
B. Glycine
C. Glutamate
D. Serotonin
Answer: C
Rationale: Glutamate is the main excitatory neurotransmitter in the CNS, acting
on AMPA, NMDA, and kainite receptors. GABA is the primary inhibitory
neurotransmitter. Glycine is also inhibitory and found primarily in the spinal cord.


2. The primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system is:
A. Glutamate
B. Acetylcholine
C. GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)
D. Dopamine
Answer: C
Rationale: GABA is the principal inhibitory neurotransmitter in the CNS; it
hyperpolarizes neurons via GABAA (ionotropic) and GABAB (metabotropic)
receptors. GABA can account for approximately 40% of the inhibitory processing
in the brain.

,3. Acetylcholine is synthesized from which precursors?
A. Tyrosine and DOPA
B. Choline and acetyl coenzyme A
C. Tryptophan and 5-HTP
D. Glutamine and glutamate
Answer: B
Rationale: Acetylcholine (ACh) is synthesized in cholinergic neurons by choline
acetylase from its precursors, choline and acetyl coenzyme A.


4. Which neurotransmitter is synthesized from the amino acid tyrosine?
A. Serotonin
B. Acetylcholine
C. Dopamine
D. GABA
Answer: C
Rationale: Dopamine is synthesized from tyrosine through a series of enzymatic
reactions: tyrosine → L-DOPA → dopamine. Tyrosine hydroxylase catalyzes the
rate-limiting step converting tyrosine to DOPA.


5. Serotonin (5-HT) is synthesized from which amino acid?
A. Tyrosine
B. Tryptophan
C. Histidine
D. Glutamine
Answer: B
Rationale: Tryptophan is converted to 5-hydroxytryptophan by tryptophan
hydroxylase, then to serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine).

,6. Which enzyme catalyzes the rate-limiting step in catecholamine synthesis?
A. DOPA decarboxylase
B. Tyrosine hydroxylase
C. Dopamine β-hydroxylase
D. Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT)
Answer: B
Rationale: Tyrosine hydroxylase catalyzes the conversion of tyrosine to DOPA,
which is the rate-limiting step in catecholamine synthesis.


7. The enzyme responsible for converting dopamine to norepinephrine is:
A. Tyrosine hydroxylase
B. DOPA decarboxylase
C. Dopamine β-hydroxylase (DBH)
D. Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT)
Answer: C
Rationale: Dopamine β-hydroxylase (DBH) is located in vesicles of noradrenergic
neurons and adds a hydroxyl group to dopamine to form norepinephrine.


8. Acetylcholine is inactivated in the synaptic cleft by which enzyme?
A. Monoamine oxidase (MAO)
B. Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT)
C. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE)
D. Tyrosine hydroxylase
Answer: C
Rationale: Acetylcholine released into the synaptic cleft is rapidly degraded by
acetylcholinesterase, which terminates the transmitter action of ACh. ACh is
unique in that it is inactivated by enzymatic degradation within the cleft itself.

, 9. Which enzymes are responsible for the degradation of monoamine
neurotransmitters?
A. Acetylcholinesterase only
B. Monoamine oxidase (MAO) and Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT)
C. Tyrosine hydroxylase and DOPA decarboxylase
D. Choline acetylase only
Answer: B
Rationale: Monoamine oxidase (MAO) degrades monoamine neurotransmitters
like dopamine and serotonin, while COMT methylates catecholamines.


10. Norepinephrine is the primary neurotransmitter of which division of the
nervous system?
A. Parasympathetic nervous system
B. Sympathetic nervous system
C. Somatic nervous system
D. Enteric nervous system
Answer: B
Rationale: Norepinephrine is the major transmitter of the sympathetic nervous
system, released from postganglionic sympathetic nerve terminals.


11. Acetylcholine is the primary neurotransmitter of which division of the
nervous system?
A. Sympathetic nervous system
B. Parasympathetic nervous system
C. Somatic nervous system only
D. Both parasympathetic and somatic nervous systems
Answer: D
Rationale: Acetylcholine is the major transmitter of the parasympathetic nervous
system and is also the neurotransmitter at the neuromuscular junction in the

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