NEUROPHARMACOLOGY PAST
QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED ANSWERS
GRADED A+ 2025
A 79-year-old man with Alzheimer's disease is found to have significant elevation
of liver function tests
on routine follow-up examination. Which of the following medications should be
maintained at current
doses in this patient?
(A) Donepezil
(B) Galantamine
(C) Rivastigmine
(D) Tacrine
(E) Tacrolimus
(C) Rivastigmine
little to no CP450 involvement so little hepatic involvement. Can be continued in
the setting of increased liver function, no hepatotoxic side effects.
In patients with Parkinson's disease, histologic studies suggest an imbalance in
brain
neurotransmitters. In contrast to normal individuals, the patients with Parkinson's
disease have an
abundance of which of the following neurons and associated neurotransmitters?
(A) Acetylcholine
(B) Dopamine
(C) Epinephrine
(D) Norepinephrine
(E) Serotonin
,(A) Acetylcholine
Loss of of dopaminergic neurons induces loss of balance between Dopa-ACh
equilibrium
A 72-year-old woman with Parkinson's disease is taking a medication that
increases release of dopamine, blockade of cholinergic receptors, and inhibiting the
N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor. This
describes which of the following agents?
(A) Amantadine
(B) Bromocriptine
(C) Pramipexole
(D) Rotigotine
(E) Tolcapone
(A) Amantadine
Five patients present to their primary care physician with various complaints and
problems.
Which of the following patients would have the most limited response to their
symptoms if given a prescription
for diazepam?
(A) A 24-year-old woman with chronic pelvic pain
(B) A 36-year-old man with chronic anxiety
(C) A 42-year-old man with seizure disorder
(D) A 45-year-old woman with seizure disorder
(E) A 52-year-old man with spinal cord pain from an accident
(A) A 24-year-old woman with chronic pelvic pain
least likely
A 40-year-old man with chronic anxiety and alcohol abuse has difficulty getting to
sleep. He has no other medical problems. Physical examination of the heart, lungs,
and abdomen are within normal limits.
Which of the following is the best agent to help this patient get to sleep?
(A) Clonazepam
(B) Diazepam
(C) Flurazepam
(D) Temazepam
(E) Triazolam
(E) Triazolam
An 83-year-old woman with Parkinson's disease is currently being treated with
carbidopa/levodopa, but her Parkinson's symptoms are worsening. She has normal
liver function and no history of liver
,disease. The physician adds tolcapone to her regimen of carbidopa/levodopa.
How does tolcapone help in
Parkinson's disease?
(A) Increased norepinephrine synthesis
(B) Inhibition of COMT
(C) Inhibition of MAO
(D) Stimulation of acetylcholine release
(E) Stimulation of norepinephrine release
(B) Inhibition of COMT
In review of the benzodiazepine class, which of the following agents has the
longest duration of action and may be useful in the treatment of a 39-year-old
patient with spinal cord injury and with skeletal muscle spasticity?
(A) Diazepam
(B) Lorazepam
(C) Oxazepam
(D) Temazepam
(E) Triazolam
(A) Diazepam
A 38-year-old man with chronic anxiety and agitation is currently being treated
with a long-acting benzodiazepine. He is having challenges with sleep and is
referred to a sleep center for a 24-h sleep study to further ascertain his difficulties.
Which of the following is the most likely abnormality to be
noted on this study?
(A) Calming effect during sleep induction
(B) Hourly awakening from sleep
(C) Hypnotic effect with dreams
(D) Improved slow-wave sleep
(E) Shortened stage 2 non-REM sleep
(A) Calming effect during sleep induction
A 78-year-old man with generalized anxiety disorder and mild dementia is being
seen by his primary care physician. Physical examination of the heart, lungs, and
abdomen are within normal limits.
Which of the following would be the best treatment option for his generalized
anxiety disorder?
(A) Alprazolam
(B) Buspirone
(C) Flumazenil
(D) Temazepam
(E) Triazolam
, (B) Buspirone
34-year-old man suffers a seizure while in a shopping mall. Witnesses tell the
paramedics that the individual lost consciousness and then had rapid contraction
and relaxation of his extremities. He then
awoke and was confused. What is the most likely diagnosis?
(A) Absence seizures
(B) Febrile seizures
(C) Myoclonic seizures
(D) Status epilepticus
(E) Tonic-clonic seizures
(E) Tonic-clonic seizures
A 42-year-old woman presents to her primary care physician in follow-up from a
visit to the
emergency department for a treatment of a seizure.
The patient has had seizures approximately every other month for the last 6
months. Consideration is now being given to beginning an antiseizure
medication.
Which of the following indications will play the lowest role in the physician's mind
as to
which antiseizure agent to start in this patient?
(A) Comorbid conditions
(B) Cost of the medication
(C) Lifestyle of the patient
(D) Personal preference
(E) Race of the patient
(E) Race of the patient
A 53-year-old woman with seizure disorder, bipolar disorder, and trigeminal
neuralgia presents to her primary care physician for follow-up and treatment. She
has no new complaints.
Which of the following medications may serve to treat all of her earlier mentioned
problems?
(A) Carbamazepine
(B) Ethosuximide
(C) Felbamate
(D) Gabapentin
(E) Lacosamide
(A) Carbamazepine
A mother brings her unconscious 14-year-old son to the emergency department. He
was found unresponsive in his bedroom. His respirations are 10 breaths per minute.
The mother suspects that her son has been abusing her prescription diazepam,
QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED ANSWERS
GRADED A+ 2025
A 79-year-old man with Alzheimer's disease is found to have significant elevation
of liver function tests
on routine follow-up examination. Which of the following medications should be
maintained at current
doses in this patient?
(A) Donepezil
(B) Galantamine
(C) Rivastigmine
(D) Tacrine
(E) Tacrolimus
(C) Rivastigmine
little to no CP450 involvement so little hepatic involvement. Can be continued in
the setting of increased liver function, no hepatotoxic side effects.
In patients with Parkinson's disease, histologic studies suggest an imbalance in
brain
neurotransmitters. In contrast to normal individuals, the patients with Parkinson's
disease have an
abundance of which of the following neurons and associated neurotransmitters?
(A) Acetylcholine
(B) Dopamine
(C) Epinephrine
(D) Norepinephrine
(E) Serotonin
,(A) Acetylcholine
Loss of of dopaminergic neurons induces loss of balance between Dopa-ACh
equilibrium
A 72-year-old woman with Parkinson's disease is taking a medication that
increases release of dopamine, blockade of cholinergic receptors, and inhibiting the
N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor. This
describes which of the following agents?
(A) Amantadine
(B) Bromocriptine
(C) Pramipexole
(D) Rotigotine
(E) Tolcapone
(A) Amantadine
Five patients present to their primary care physician with various complaints and
problems.
Which of the following patients would have the most limited response to their
symptoms if given a prescription
for diazepam?
(A) A 24-year-old woman with chronic pelvic pain
(B) A 36-year-old man with chronic anxiety
(C) A 42-year-old man with seizure disorder
(D) A 45-year-old woman with seizure disorder
(E) A 52-year-old man with spinal cord pain from an accident
(A) A 24-year-old woman with chronic pelvic pain
least likely
A 40-year-old man with chronic anxiety and alcohol abuse has difficulty getting to
sleep. He has no other medical problems. Physical examination of the heart, lungs,
and abdomen are within normal limits.
Which of the following is the best agent to help this patient get to sleep?
(A) Clonazepam
(B) Diazepam
(C) Flurazepam
(D) Temazepam
(E) Triazolam
(E) Triazolam
An 83-year-old woman with Parkinson's disease is currently being treated with
carbidopa/levodopa, but her Parkinson's symptoms are worsening. She has normal
liver function and no history of liver
,disease. The physician adds tolcapone to her regimen of carbidopa/levodopa.
How does tolcapone help in
Parkinson's disease?
(A) Increased norepinephrine synthesis
(B) Inhibition of COMT
(C) Inhibition of MAO
(D) Stimulation of acetylcholine release
(E) Stimulation of norepinephrine release
(B) Inhibition of COMT
In review of the benzodiazepine class, which of the following agents has the
longest duration of action and may be useful in the treatment of a 39-year-old
patient with spinal cord injury and with skeletal muscle spasticity?
(A) Diazepam
(B) Lorazepam
(C) Oxazepam
(D) Temazepam
(E) Triazolam
(A) Diazepam
A 38-year-old man with chronic anxiety and agitation is currently being treated
with a long-acting benzodiazepine. He is having challenges with sleep and is
referred to a sleep center for a 24-h sleep study to further ascertain his difficulties.
Which of the following is the most likely abnormality to be
noted on this study?
(A) Calming effect during sleep induction
(B) Hourly awakening from sleep
(C) Hypnotic effect with dreams
(D) Improved slow-wave sleep
(E) Shortened stage 2 non-REM sleep
(A) Calming effect during sleep induction
A 78-year-old man with generalized anxiety disorder and mild dementia is being
seen by his primary care physician. Physical examination of the heart, lungs, and
abdomen are within normal limits.
Which of the following would be the best treatment option for his generalized
anxiety disorder?
(A) Alprazolam
(B) Buspirone
(C) Flumazenil
(D) Temazepam
(E) Triazolam
, (B) Buspirone
34-year-old man suffers a seizure while in a shopping mall. Witnesses tell the
paramedics that the individual lost consciousness and then had rapid contraction
and relaxation of his extremities. He then
awoke and was confused. What is the most likely diagnosis?
(A) Absence seizures
(B) Febrile seizures
(C) Myoclonic seizures
(D) Status epilepticus
(E) Tonic-clonic seizures
(E) Tonic-clonic seizures
A 42-year-old woman presents to her primary care physician in follow-up from a
visit to the
emergency department for a treatment of a seizure.
The patient has had seizures approximately every other month for the last 6
months. Consideration is now being given to beginning an antiseizure
medication.
Which of the following indications will play the lowest role in the physician's mind
as to
which antiseizure agent to start in this patient?
(A) Comorbid conditions
(B) Cost of the medication
(C) Lifestyle of the patient
(D) Personal preference
(E) Race of the patient
(E) Race of the patient
A 53-year-old woman with seizure disorder, bipolar disorder, and trigeminal
neuralgia presents to her primary care physician for follow-up and treatment. She
has no new complaints.
Which of the following medications may serve to treat all of her earlier mentioned
problems?
(A) Carbamazepine
(B) Ethosuximide
(C) Felbamate
(D) Gabapentin
(E) Lacosamide
(A) Carbamazepine
A mother brings her unconscious 14-year-old son to the emergency department. He
was found unresponsive in his bedroom. His respirations are 10 breaths per minute.
The mother suspects that her son has been abusing her prescription diazepam,
