PRACTICE TEST for Clinical
Neuropsychology Board Exam Prep
Questions and Correct Verified Answers
SECTION I: Foundations of Clinical Neuropsychology
Questions covering neuroanatomy, neuropathology, and basic neurosciences.
1. The primary neurotransmitter implicated in the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s
disease is:
A. Serotonin
B. Dopamine
C. Acetylcholine
D. GABA
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra leads to the
characteristic motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease .
2. Which brain region is most critically involved in phonological processing during
language tasks?
A. Broca’s area (inferior frontal gyrus)
B. Wernicke’s area (posterior superior temporal gyrus)
C. Angular gyrus
D. Primary visual cortex
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Wernicke’s area subserves language comprehension and phonological
aspects of language. It is located in the posterior superior temporal gyrus .
,3. The vascular supply to the medial temporal lobe, including the hippocampus, is
predominantly from which artery?
A. Posterior cerebral artery
B. Anterior cerebral artery
C. Middle cerebral artery
D. Anterior choroidal artery
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The posterior cerebral artery (PCA) provides the primary blood supply to the
medial temporal lobe, including the hippocampus .
4. Which of the following is a characteristic feature of Gerstmann’s syndrome?
A. Prosopagnosia
B. Agraphia, acalculia, finger agnosia, and left-right disorientation
C. Hemineglect
D. Anosognosia
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Gerstmann’s syndrome involves a constellation of four deficits linked to
dominant parietal lobe lesions: agraphia (inability to write), acalculia (inability to
calculate), finger agnosia, and left-right disorientation .
5. Correcting hyponatremia too rapidly can lead to:
A. Alzheimer’s disease
B. Central pontine myelinolysis
C. Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome
D. Huntington’s disease
Correct Answer: B
,Rationale: Rapid correction of sodium levels (particularly in hyponatremia) can lead to
central pontine myelinolysis, a demyelinating condition affecting the pons .
SECTION II: Fundamentals of Assessment
Questions covering test administration, psychometrics, and clinical interview.
6. The "Stroop Color-Word Test" primarily assesses which cognitive domain?
A. Verbal fluency
B. Inhibitory control (selective attention)
C. Visuospatial construction
D. Episodic memory
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The Stroop test requires suppressing the automatic reading response to
name the ink color, measuring inhibitory control and selective attention .
7. The "Trail Making Test Part A" primarily measures:
A. Cognitive flexibility
B. Visual scanning and processing speed
C. Verbal fluency
D. Working memory
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Part A requires connecting numbered circles sequentially, assessing visual
scanning and processing speed. Part B measures cognitive flexibility and set-shifting .
8. The "Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)" is primarily used to screen for:
A. Mood disorders
B. Global cognitive impairment
, C. Specific language deficits
D. Motor dysfunction
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The MMSE provides a brief, brief assessment of overall cognitive status and
is useful for detecting dementia .
9. When interpreting test scores for a client whose primary language is Spanish,
the neuropsychologist should primarily consider:
A. Translating the test items verbatim
B. Using normative data matched for language, education, and cultural
background
C. Ignoring cultural differences because cognition is universal
D. Administering only non-verbal tasks
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Norms that account for language, education, and cultural variables improve
the validity of interpretations for bilingual or non-native English speakers .
10. The "Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB)" is
primarily delivered via:
A. Paper-pencil format
B. Computerized touchscreen interface
C. Oral interview
D. Virtual reality headset
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: CANTAB consists of computerized tasks delivered via a touchscreen
interface, assessing various cognitive domains .
Neuropsychology Board Exam Prep
Questions and Correct Verified Answers
SECTION I: Foundations of Clinical Neuropsychology
Questions covering neuroanatomy, neuropathology, and basic neurosciences.
1. The primary neurotransmitter implicated in the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s
disease is:
A. Serotonin
B. Dopamine
C. Acetylcholine
D. GABA
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra leads to the
characteristic motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease .
2. Which brain region is most critically involved in phonological processing during
language tasks?
A. Broca’s area (inferior frontal gyrus)
B. Wernicke’s area (posterior superior temporal gyrus)
C. Angular gyrus
D. Primary visual cortex
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Wernicke’s area subserves language comprehension and phonological
aspects of language. It is located in the posterior superior temporal gyrus .
,3. The vascular supply to the medial temporal lobe, including the hippocampus, is
predominantly from which artery?
A. Posterior cerebral artery
B. Anterior cerebral artery
C. Middle cerebral artery
D. Anterior choroidal artery
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The posterior cerebral artery (PCA) provides the primary blood supply to the
medial temporal lobe, including the hippocampus .
4. Which of the following is a characteristic feature of Gerstmann’s syndrome?
A. Prosopagnosia
B. Agraphia, acalculia, finger agnosia, and left-right disorientation
C. Hemineglect
D. Anosognosia
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Gerstmann’s syndrome involves a constellation of four deficits linked to
dominant parietal lobe lesions: agraphia (inability to write), acalculia (inability to
calculate), finger agnosia, and left-right disorientation .
5. Correcting hyponatremia too rapidly can lead to:
A. Alzheimer’s disease
B. Central pontine myelinolysis
C. Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome
D. Huntington’s disease
Correct Answer: B
,Rationale: Rapid correction of sodium levels (particularly in hyponatremia) can lead to
central pontine myelinolysis, a demyelinating condition affecting the pons .
SECTION II: Fundamentals of Assessment
Questions covering test administration, psychometrics, and clinical interview.
6. The "Stroop Color-Word Test" primarily assesses which cognitive domain?
A. Verbal fluency
B. Inhibitory control (selective attention)
C. Visuospatial construction
D. Episodic memory
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The Stroop test requires suppressing the automatic reading response to
name the ink color, measuring inhibitory control and selective attention .
7. The "Trail Making Test Part A" primarily measures:
A. Cognitive flexibility
B. Visual scanning and processing speed
C. Verbal fluency
D. Working memory
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Part A requires connecting numbered circles sequentially, assessing visual
scanning and processing speed. Part B measures cognitive flexibility and set-shifting .
8. The "Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)" is primarily used to screen for:
A. Mood disorders
B. Global cognitive impairment
, C. Specific language deficits
D. Motor dysfunction
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The MMSE provides a brief, brief assessment of overall cognitive status and
is useful for detecting dementia .
9. When interpreting test scores for a client whose primary language is Spanish,
the neuropsychologist should primarily consider:
A. Translating the test items verbatim
B. Using normative data matched for language, education, and cultural
background
C. Ignoring cultural differences because cognition is universal
D. Administering only non-verbal tasks
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Norms that account for language, education, and cultural variables improve
the validity of interpretations for bilingual or non-native English speakers .
10. The "Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB)" is
primarily delivered via:
A. Paper-pencil format
B. Computerized touchscreen interface
C. Oral interview
D. Virtual reality headset
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: CANTAB consists of computerized tasks delivered via a touchscreen
interface, assessing various cognitive domains .
