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NSG 552 PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY WILKES UNIVERSITY — EXAMS 1, 2 &
3 COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE EXAM COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS LATEST EDITION 2026
NSG 552 PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
WILKES UNIVERSITY — EXAMS 1, 2 & 3 COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE
QUESTIONS WITH RATIONALES
SECTION 1: EXAM 1 — NEUROANATOMY, NEUROTRANSMITTERS & PHARMACOKINETICS
Questions 1–50
1. A patient with depression asks the nurse, "My mother says depression is a chemical
disorder. What does she mean?" The nurse's response is based on the theory that depression
primarily involves which neurotransmitters?
A) Cortisol and GABA
B) COMT and glutamate
C) Monoamine and glycine
D) Serotonin and norepinephrine
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Depression is associated with deficiencies in serotonin and norepinephrine. This
monoamine hypothesis forms the basis for SSRI and SNRI antidepressant therapy. Dysregulation
in these neurotransmitter systems contributes to mood, sleep, appetite, and energy
disturbances .
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2. The therapeutic action of psychotropic medications is primarily the result of their effect on
which of the following physiological targets?
A) The temporal lobe, especially Wernicke's area
B) Dendrites and their ability to transmit electrical impulses
C) The regulation of neurotransmitters
D) The peripheral nervous system
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Psychotropic medications work by modulating neurotransmitter systems—altering
synthesis, release, receptor binding, reuptake, or metabolism. This is the core mechanism of
action across all psychotropic drug classes .
3. A patient has experienced a stroke resulting in damage to the Broca area. Which evaluation
does the nurse conduct to reinforce this diagnosis?
A) Observing the patient pick up a spoon
B) Asking the patient to recite the alphabet
C) Monitoring the patient's blood pressure
D) Comparing the patient's grip strength in both hands
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Broca's area is responsible for speech production. Damage results in expressive (non-
fluent) aphasia, where the patient knows what they want to say but cannot produce the words.
Asking the patient to recite the alphabet assesses speech production .
4. A student nurse questions the need to understand neuroanatomy. The mentor's response
should be based on the understanding that it is:
A) Necessary but generally for psychiatric nurses who focus primarily on behavioral
interventions
B) A complex undertaking that advanced practice psychiatric nurses frequently use in their
practice
C) Important primarily for nursing assessment of patients with brain trauma-caused cognitive
symptoms
D) Necessary for planning psychiatric care for all patients, especially those experiencing
psychiatric disorders
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Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Understanding neuroanatomy is essential for planning psychiatric care for all
patients, as psychiatric disorders have neurobiological underpinnings. This knowledge guides
medication selection, side effect monitoring, and patient education .
5. A patient diagnosed with schizophrenia asks why psychotropic medications are always
prescribed. The nurse's answer will be based on the understanding that the therapeutic
action of psychotropic drugs is the result of their effect on:
A) The temporal lobe, especially Wernicke's area
B) Dendrites and their ability to transmit electrical impulses
C) The regulation of neurotransmitters, especially dopamine
D) The peripheral nervous system sensitivity to psychotropic medications
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Schizophrenia is associated with dopamine dysregulation. Antipsychotic medications
work primarily by blocking dopamine D2 receptors in various brain pathways, particularly the
mesolimbic pathway .
6. Which neurotransmitter is considered the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the
central nervous system?
A) GABA
B) Glutamate
C) Serotonin
D) Dopamine
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Glutamate is the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the CNS, often referred to as
the "on switch." It increases neuronal excitability and plays a role in learning, memory, and
neuroplasticity .
7. Which neurotransmitter is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous
system?
A) Glutamate
B) Dopamine
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C) GABA
D) Norepinephrine
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the
CNS. It reduces neuronal excitability by increasing chloride influx and is often referred to as the
"off switch" .
8. A nurse practitioner explains to a patient that "what the body does to the drug" is known
as:
A) Pharmacodynamics
B) Pharmacokinetics
C) Pharmacotherapeutics
D) Pharmacogenomics
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Pharmacokinetics describes the processes of absorption, distribution, metabolism,
and excretion (ADME)—what the body does to the drug. Pharmacodynamics is what the drug
does to the body (e.g., receptor binding and effects) .
9. The opening of which ion channel is primarily responsible for initiating an action potential?
A) Potassium channels
B) Calcium channels
C) Sodium channels
D) Chloride channels
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Voltage-gated sodium channels open, allowing sodium influx and depolarization of
the neuron, which initiates the action potential. Potassium channels then open for
repolarization .
10. A drug that is a CYP450 inducer will have what effect on a substrate medication?
A) Increase the substrate's plasma level
B) Decrease the substrate's plasma level
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NSG 552 PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY WILKES UNIVERSITY — EXAMS 1, 2 &
3 COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE EXAM COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS LATEST EDITION 2026
NSG 552 PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
WILKES UNIVERSITY — EXAMS 1, 2 & 3 COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE
QUESTIONS WITH RATIONALES
SECTION 1: EXAM 1 — NEUROANATOMY, NEUROTRANSMITTERS & PHARMACOKINETICS
Questions 1–50
1. A patient with depression asks the nurse, "My mother says depression is a chemical
disorder. What does she mean?" The nurse's response is based on the theory that depression
primarily involves which neurotransmitters?
A) Cortisol and GABA
B) COMT and glutamate
C) Monoamine and glycine
D) Serotonin and norepinephrine
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Depression is associated with deficiencies in serotonin and norepinephrine. This
monoamine hypothesis forms the basis for SSRI and SNRI antidepressant therapy. Dysregulation
in these neurotransmitter systems contributes to mood, sleep, appetite, and energy
disturbances .
1|Page
,Page 2 of 50
2. The therapeutic action of psychotropic medications is primarily the result of their effect on
which of the following physiological targets?
A) The temporal lobe, especially Wernicke's area
B) Dendrites and their ability to transmit electrical impulses
C) The regulation of neurotransmitters
D) The peripheral nervous system
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Psychotropic medications work by modulating neurotransmitter systems—altering
synthesis, release, receptor binding, reuptake, or metabolism. This is the core mechanism of
action across all psychotropic drug classes .
3. A patient has experienced a stroke resulting in damage to the Broca area. Which evaluation
does the nurse conduct to reinforce this diagnosis?
A) Observing the patient pick up a spoon
B) Asking the patient to recite the alphabet
C) Monitoring the patient's blood pressure
D) Comparing the patient's grip strength in both hands
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Broca's area is responsible for speech production. Damage results in expressive (non-
fluent) aphasia, where the patient knows what they want to say but cannot produce the words.
Asking the patient to recite the alphabet assesses speech production .
4. A student nurse questions the need to understand neuroanatomy. The mentor's response
should be based on the understanding that it is:
A) Necessary but generally for psychiatric nurses who focus primarily on behavioral
interventions
B) A complex undertaking that advanced practice psychiatric nurses frequently use in their
practice
C) Important primarily for nursing assessment of patients with brain trauma-caused cognitive
symptoms
D) Necessary for planning psychiatric care for all patients, especially those experiencing
psychiatric disorders
2|Page
,Page 3 of 50
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Understanding neuroanatomy is essential for planning psychiatric care for all
patients, as psychiatric disorders have neurobiological underpinnings. This knowledge guides
medication selection, side effect monitoring, and patient education .
5. A patient diagnosed with schizophrenia asks why psychotropic medications are always
prescribed. The nurse's answer will be based on the understanding that the therapeutic
action of psychotropic drugs is the result of their effect on:
A) The temporal lobe, especially Wernicke's area
B) Dendrites and their ability to transmit electrical impulses
C) The regulation of neurotransmitters, especially dopamine
D) The peripheral nervous system sensitivity to psychotropic medications
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Schizophrenia is associated with dopamine dysregulation. Antipsychotic medications
work primarily by blocking dopamine D2 receptors in various brain pathways, particularly the
mesolimbic pathway .
6. Which neurotransmitter is considered the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the
central nervous system?
A) GABA
B) Glutamate
C) Serotonin
D) Dopamine
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Glutamate is the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the CNS, often referred to as
the "on switch." It increases neuronal excitability and plays a role in learning, memory, and
neuroplasticity .
7. Which neurotransmitter is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous
system?
A) Glutamate
B) Dopamine
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C) GABA
D) Norepinephrine
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the
CNS. It reduces neuronal excitability by increasing chloride influx and is often referred to as the
"off switch" .
8. A nurse practitioner explains to a patient that "what the body does to the drug" is known
as:
A) Pharmacodynamics
B) Pharmacokinetics
C) Pharmacotherapeutics
D) Pharmacogenomics
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Pharmacokinetics describes the processes of absorption, distribution, metabolism,
and excretion (ADME)—what the body does to the drug. Pharmacodynamics is what the drug
does to the body (e.g., receptor binding and effects) .
9. The opening of which ion channel is primarily responsible for initiating an action potential?
A) Potassium channels
B) Calcium channels
C) Sodium channels
D) Chloride channels
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Voltage-gated sodium channels open, allowing sodium influx and depolarization of
the neuron, which initiates the action potential. Potassium channels then open for
repolarization .
10. A drug that is a CYP450 inducer will have what effect on a substrate medication?
A) Increase the substrate's plasma level
B) Decrease the substrate's plasma level
4|Page
