NR 605 Midterm Exam 2026/2027 — Weeks 1–4: Diagnosis &
Management in Psychiatric-Mental Health.
1. Which neurotransmitter is most strongly associated with the
pathophysiology of schizophrenia?
A. Acetylcholine
B. Dopamine
C. GABA
D. Histamine
Correct Answer: B. Dopamine
Rationale: The dopamine hypothesis proposes that dysregulated
dopamine transmission contributes to schizophrenia, particularly
increased dopamine activity in mesolimbic pathways associated with
positive symptoms.
2. A patient reports hearing a voice when no one is present. Which
term best describes this experience?
A. Delusion
B. Illusion
C. Hallucination
D. Obsession
Correct Answer: C. Hallucination
Rationale: A hallucination is a sensory perception occurring without
an external stimulus. Auditory hallucinations are particularly
common in psychotic disorders.
3. Which finding represents a negative symptom of schizophrenia?
A. Auditory hallucinations
B. Delusions
C. Avolition
D. Disorganized speech
Correct Answer: C. Avolition
,Rationale: Negative symptoms involve diminished normal
functioning and include avolition, anhedonia, alogia, asociality, and
reduced emotional expression.
4. Which neurotransmitter is the primary inhibitory
neurotransmitter in the central nervous system?
A. GABA
B. Dopamine
C. Serotonin
D. Glutamate
Correct Answer: A. GABA
Rationale: Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the major inhibitory
neurotransmitter in the CNS and helps regulate neuronal excitability.
5. Which neurotransmitter is most closely associated with mood,
anxiety, sleep, and appetite regulation?
A. Serotonin
B. Acetylcholine
C. Glutamate
D. Norepinephrine
Correct Answer: A. Serotonin
Rationale: Serotonin contributes to regulation of mood, anxiety,
sleep, appetite, pain perception, and other physiological processes.
6. Which neurotransmitter is particularly associated with attention,
alertness, and the stress response?
A. Norepinephrine
B. GABA
C. Endorphin
D. Melatonin
Correct Answer: A. Norepinephrine
,Rationale: Norepinephrine plays an important role in arousal,
attention, vigilance, and the physiological response to stress.
7. Which neurotransmitter is the primary excitatory
neurotransmitter in the CNS?
A. GABA
B. Glutamate
C. Serotonin
D. Dopamine
Correct Answer: B. Glutamate
Rationale: Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter and is
involved in learning, memory, synaptic plasticity, and numerous CNS
functions.
8. A patient believes that the television is sending personal
messages specifically to them. What is this most consistent with?
A. Thought blocking
B. Ideas of reference
C. Echolalia
D. Flight of ideas
Correct Answer: B. Ideas of reference
Rationale: Ideas of reference occur when a person incorrectly
interprets neutral events, such as television broadcasts, as having
special personal significance.
9. Which statement best describes a delusion?
A. A sensory perception without an external stimulus
B. A fixed false belief despite evidence to the contrary
C. An intrusive unwanted thought
D. A repetitive behavior performed to reduce anxiety
Correct Answer: B. A fixed false belief despite evidence to the
contrary
, Rationale: Delusions are fixed, false beliefs that remain firmly held
despite contradictory evidence and are inconsistent with cultural or
religious norms.
10. Which symptom is considered a positive symptom of
schizophrenia?
A. Avolition
B. Anhedonia
C. Hallucination
D. Flat affect
Correct Answer: C. Hallucination
Rationale: Positive symptoms represent additions to normal
functioning and include hallucinations, delusions, disorganized
speech, and disorganized behavior.
11. Which assessment is most appropriate when initially evaluating
a patient with a new psychiatric complaint?
A. Psychiatric diagnosis only
B. Comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment
C. Medication history only
D. Mental status examination only
Correct Answer: B. Comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment
Rationale: Psychiatric assessment should integrate biological,
psychological, social, developmental, cultural, substance-use,
medical, and environmental factors.
12. Which component of the mental status examination assesses the
patient's awareness of person, place, time, and situation?
A. Thought process
B. Orientation
C. Judgment
D. Insight
Management in Psychiatric-Mental Health.
1. Which neurotransmitter is most strongly associated with the
pathophysiology of schizophrenia?
A. Acetylcholine
B. Dopamine
C. GABA
D. Histamine
Correct Answer: B. Dopamine
Rationale: The dopamine hypothesis proposes that dysregulated
dopamine transmission contributes to schizophrenia, particularly
increased dopamine activity in mesolimbic pathways associated with
positive symptoms.
2. A patient reports hearing a voice when no one is present. Which
term best describes this experience?
A. Delusion
B. Illusion
C. Hallucination
D. Obsession
Correct Answer: C. Hallucination
Rationale: A hallucination is a sensory perception occurring without
an external stimulus. Auditory hallucinations are particularly
common in psychotic disorders.
3. Which finding represents a negative symptom of schizophrenia?
A. Auditory hallucinations
B. Delusions
C. Avolition
D. Disorganized speech
Correct Answer: C. Avolition
,Rationale: Negative symptoms involve diminished normal
functioning and include avolition, anhedonia, alogia, asociality, and
reduced emotional expression.
4. Which neurotransmitter is the primary inhibitory
neurotransmitter in the central nervous system?
A. GABA
B. Dopamine
C. Serotonin
D. Glutamate
Correct Answer: A. GABA
Rationale: Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the major inhibitory
neurotransmitter in the CNS and helps regulate neuronal excitability.
5. Which neurotransmitter is most closely associated with mood,
anxiety, sleep, and appetite regulation?
A. Serotonin
B. Acetylcholine
C. Glutamate
D. Norepinephrine
Correct Answer: A. Serotonin
Rationale: Serotonin contributes to regulation of mood, anxiety,
sleep, appetite, pain perception, and other physiological processes.
6. Which neurotransmitter is particularly associated with attention,
alertness, and the stress response?
A. Norepinephrine
B. GABA
C. Endorphin
D. Melatonin
Correct Answer: A. Norepinephrine
,Rationale: Norepinephrine plays an important role in arousal,
attention, vigilance, and the physiological response to stress.
7. Which neurotransmitter is the primary excitatory
neurotransmitter in the CNS?
A. GABA
B. Glutamate
C. Serotonin
D. Dopamine
Correct Answer: B. Glutamate
Rationale: Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter and is
involved in learning, memory, synaptic plasticity, and numerous CNS
functions.
8. A patient believes that the television is sending personal
messages specifically to them. What is this most consistent with?
A. Thought blocking
B. Ideas of reference
C. Echolalia
D. Flight of ideas
Correct Answer: B. Ideas of reference
Rationale: Ideas of reference occur when a person incorrectly
interprets neutral events, such as television broadcasts, as having
special personal significance.
9. Which statement best describes a delusion?
A. A sensory perception without an external stimulus
B. A fixed false belief despite evidence to the contrary
C. An intrusive unwanted thought
D. A repetitive behavior performed to reduce anxiety
Correct Answer: B. A fixed false belief despite evidence to the
contrary
, Rationale: Delusions are fixed, false beliefs that remain firmly held
despite contradictory evidence and are inconsistent with cultural or
religious norms.
10. Which symptom is considered a positive symptom of
schizophrenia?
A. Avolition
B. Anhedonia
C. Hallucination
D. Flat affect
Correct Answer: C. Hallucination
Rationale: Positive symptoms represent additions to normal
functioning and include hallucinations, delusions, disorganized
speech, and disorganized behavior.
11. Which assessment is most appropriate when initially evaluating
a patient with a new psychiatric complaint?
A. Psychiatric diagnosis only
B. Comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment
C. Medication history only
D. Mental status examination only
Correct Answer: B. Comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment
Rationale: Psychiatric assessment should integrate biological,
psychological, social, developmental, cultural, substance-use,
medical, and environmental factors.
12. Which component of the mental status examination assesses the
patient's awareness of person, place, time, and situation?
A. Thought process
B. Orientation
C. Judgment
D. Insight
