©THESTAR 2024/2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 12:54PM.
Psychopharm Exam 1 Practice Questions
And Answers 2025 Update.
The PMHNP is evaluating a 68-year-old man for symptoms of major depression. While assessing
the appearance of the patient, an obvious left-sided ptosis is noted. Which cranial nerve is
directly linked to this condition?
a. III
b. IV
c. V
d. VI - Answer✔A
A 55-year-old woman has been referred for a psychiatric evaluation for a change in personality,
lack of impulse control, and increasingly reckless decision-making. Which area of the brain
would be responsible for these symptoms?
a. Parietal lobe
b. Broca's area
c. Wernicke's area
d. Frontal lobe - Answer✔D
A patient was recently started on a dopamine antagonist, and complains of breast tenderness
and a milky discharge. What is the most likely explanation for these symptoms?
a. Dopamine transmission in the nigrostriatal pathway
b. Dopamine transmission in the tuberoinfundibular pathway
c. Dopamine transmission in the mesolimbic pathway
d. Dopamine increases throughout the basal ganglia - Answer✔B
A patient who was recently started on haloperidol for psychosis begins to manifest hand
tremor, and a shuffling gait. What is the most likely explanation for these symptoms?
a. Dopamine transmission in the nigrostriatal pathway
1
,©THESTAR 2024/2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 12:54PM.
b. Dopamine transmission in the tuberoinfundibular pathway
c. Dopamine transmission in the mesolimbic pathway
d. Dopamine increases throughout the basal ganglia - Answer✔A
A 72-year-old man with a comorbid history of uncontrolled hypertension is referred to the
PMHNP for dementia secondary to depression. The mental status exam reveals difficulty
speaking fluently, inappropriate and confabulated responses, incongruent affect, and poor
judgment. A cerebrovascular accident in which region of the brain would better explain these
symptoms?
a. Parietal lobe
b. Wernicke's area
c. Broca's area
d. Occipital lobe - Answer✔C
Which region of the brain is associated with sensory integration, spatial awareness, and
conscious awareness of the opposite side of the body?
a. Occipital lobe
b. Wernicke's area
c. Broca's area
d. Parietal lobe - Answer✔D
A patient appears internally preoccupied and responding to auditory hallucination. This patient
may have a pathology affecting which lobe of the brain?
a. Temporal lobe
b. Occipital lobe
c. Parietal lobe
d. Cerebellum - Answer✔A
A patient presents with atypical symptoms of psychosis that include inconsistent auditory
hallucinations without disorganization. What is the best definition of an EEG and its utility?
a. Radiologic test utilizing magnets and radio waves to provide a detailed image of the
structures of the brain
b. Electrophysiologic test that depicts electrical activity on the surface of the brain
c. A serum test to indicate nutritional deficiencies that inhibit the formation of
neurotransmitters
2
,©THESTAR 2024/2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 12:54PM.
d. A neuropsychological test to distinguish psychosis from a psychosomatic illness. - Answer✔B
Neurons that only travel from the body to the brain are called:
a. Sensory neurons
b. Motor neurons
c. Inter neurons
d. Astrocytes - Answer✔A
The part of the neuron that takes in and receives messages is called:
a. Dendrite
b. Axon
c. Synapse
d. Node of Ranvier - Answer✔A
What is the fatty layer that prevents interference and increases the speed of impulse
transmission along the axon?
a. Dendrite
b. Axon
c. Synapse
d. Myelin sheath - Answer✔D
Which of the following receives messages and conducts impulses to the soma?
a. Dendrite
b. Axon
c. Synapse
d. Myelin sheath - Answer✔A
The junction between two neurons is known as the:
a. Dendrite
b. Node of Ranvier
c. Synapse
d. Soma - Answer✔C
When explaining the means by which neurotransmitters relate to mental illness, a patient ask,
"What is a neurotransmitter?" The best answer is:
3
, ©THESTAR 2024/2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 12:54PM.
a. A fatty layer covering the axon
b. A chemical messenger
c. A nerve cell
d. The space between nerve cells - Answer✔B
A patient is diagnosed with major depressive disorder with the most prominent feature of
apathy, anhedonia, and isolation. Which neurotransmitter is associated with the symptoms?
a. Serotonin
b. Gamma-amino benzoic acid (GABA)
c. Dopamine
d. Cannabinoids - Answer✔C
The PMHNP prescribes fluoxetine to treat depression. Which neurotransmitter will be made
readily available in the synapse?
a. Dopamine
b. Serotonin
c. Gamma-amino benzoic acid (GABA)
d. Acetylcholine - Answer✔B
The PMHNP in the ED is evaluating a 68-year-old woman who was recently diagnosed with mild
cognitive impairment and cannot remember the name of the medication that she has recently
started 1 week ago. The patient is complaining of increased heart rate, sweating, and muscle
spasms progressively worsening for the last 3 days. Which neurotransmitter is associated with
this adverse effect?
a. Serotonin
b. Acetylcholine
c. Gamma-amino benzoic acid (GABA)
d. Dopamine - Answer✔B
Which of the following neurotransmitters exert inhibition over neuronal function?
a. Acetylcholine
b. Cannabinoids
c. Gamma-amino benzoic acid (GABA)
d. Dopamine - Answer✔C
4
Psychopharm Exam 1 Practice Questions
And Answers 2025 Update.
The PMHNP is evaluating a 68-year-old man for symptoms of major depression. While assessing
the appearance of the patient, an obvious left-sided ptosis is noted. Which cranial nerve is
directly linked to this condition?
a. III
b. IV
c. V
d. VI - Answer✔A
A 55-year-old woman has been referred for a psychiatric evaluation for a change in personality,
lack of impulse control, and increasingly reckless decision-making. Which area of the brain
would be responsible for these symptoms?
a. Parietal lobe
b. Broca's area
c. Wernicke's area
d. Frontal lobe - Answer✔D
A patient was recently started on a dopamine antagonist, and complains of breast tenderness
and a milky discharge. What is the most likely explanation for these symptoms?
a. Dopamine transmission in the nigrostriatal pathway
b. Dopamine transmission in the tuberoinfundibular pathway
c. Dopamine transmission in the mesolimbic pathway
d. Dopamine increases throughout the basal ganglia - Answer✔B
A patient who was recently started on haloperidol for psychosis begins to manifest hand
tremor, and a shuffling gait. What is the most likely explanation for these symptoms?
a. Dopamine transmission in the nigrostriatal pathway
1
,©THESTAR 2024/2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 12:54PM.
b. Dopamine transmission in the tuberoinfundibular pathway
c. Dopamine transmission in the mesolimbic pathway
d. Dopamine increases throughout the basal ganglia - Answer✔A
A 72-year-old man with a comorbid history of uncontrolled hypertension is referred to the
PMHNP for dementia secondary to depression. The mental status exam reveals difficulty
speaking fluently, inappropriate and confabulated responses, incongruent affect, and poor
judgment. A cerebrovascular accident in which region of the brain would better explain these
symptoms?
a. Parietal lobe
b. Wernicke's area
c. Broca's area
d. Occipital lobe - Answer✔C
Which region of the brain is associated with sensory integration, spatial awareness, and
conscious awareness of the opposite side of the body?
a. Occipital lobe
b. Wernicke's area
c. Broca's area
d. Parietal lobe - Answer✔D
A patient appears internally preoccupied and responding to auditory hallucination. This patient
may have a pathology affecting which lobe of the brain?
a. Temporal lobe
b. Occipital lobe
c. Parietal lobe
d. Cerebellum - Answer✔A
A patient presents with atypical symptoms of psychosis that include inconsistent auditory
hallucinations without disorganization. What is the best definition of an EEG and its utility?
a. Radiologic test utilizing magnets and radio waves to provide a detailed image of the
structures of the brain
b. Electrophysiologic test that depicts electrical activity on the surface of the brain
c. A serum test to indicate nutritional deficiencies that inhibit the formation of
neurotransmitters
2
,©THESTAR 2024/2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 12:54PM.
d. A neuropsychological test to distinguish psychosis from a psychosomatic illness. - Answer✔B
Neurons that only travel from the body to the brain are called:
a. Sensory neurons
b. Motor neurons
c. Inter neurons
d. Astrocytes - Answer✔A
The part of the neuron that takes in and receives messages is called:
a. Dendrite
b. Axon
c. Synapse
d. Node of Ranvier - Answer✔A
What is the fatty layer that prevents interference and increases the speed of impulse
transmission along the axon?
a. Dendrite
b. Axon
c. Synapse
d. Myelin sheath - Answer✔D
Which of the following receives messages and conducts impulses to the soma?
a. Dendrite
b. Axon
c. Synapse
d. Myelin sheath - Answer✔A
The junction between two neurons is known as the:
a. Dendrite
b. Node of Ranvier
c. Synapse
d. Soma - Answer✔C
When explaining the means by which neurotransmitters relate to mental illness, a patient ask,
"What is a neurotransmitter?" The best answer is:
3
, ©THESTAR 2024/2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 12:54PM.
a. A fatty layer covering the axon
b. A chemical messenger
c. A nerve cell
d. The space between nerve cells - Answer✔B
A patient is diagnosed with major depressive disorder with the most prominent feature of
apathy, anhedonia, and isolation. Which neurotransmitter is associated with the symptoms?
a. Serotonin
b. Gamma-amino benzoic acid (GABA)
c. Dopamine
d. Cannabinoids - Answer✔C
The PMHNP prescribes fluoxetine to treat depression. Which neurotransmitter will be made
readily available in the synapse?
a. Dopamine
b. Serotonin
c. Gamma-amino benzoic acid (GABA)
d. Acetylcholine - Answer✔B
The PMHNP in the ED is evaluating a 68-year-old woman who was recently diagnosed with mild
cognitive impairment and cannot remember the name of the medication that she has recently
started 1 week ago. The patient is complaining of increased heart rate, sweating, and muscle
spasms progressively worsening for the last 3 days. Which neurotransmitter is associated with
this adverse effect?
a. Serotonin
b. Acetylcholine
c. Gamma-amino benzoic acid (GABA)
d. Dopamine - Answer✔B
Which of the following neurotransmitters exert inhibition over neuronal function?
a. Acetylcholine
b. Cannabinoids
c. Gamma-amino benzoic acid (GABA)
d. Dopamine - Answer✔C
4
