NR 546 MIDTERM EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (VERIFIED AND
ANSWERS) LATEST UPDATE 2025/2026
How does the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) affect the amygdala? - CORRECT
ANSWER - inhibits and activates the amygdala
Wernicke's area is associated with which of the following? - CORRECT
ANSWER - speech comprehension
The limbic system is associated with which of the following - CORRECT
ANSWER - emotion and learning
Which brain structure is most associated with long term memory? - CORRECT
ANSWER - hippocampus
When prescribing psychotropic medications, the PMHNP knows that these
medications work within which specific areas? - CORRECT ANSWER - mood
Which of the following are involved in regulating neurotransmission via
excitation-secretion coupling? - CORRECT ANSWER - voltage-sensitive sodium
channels and voltage-sensitive calcium channels
What system influences the length of time for a drug to achieve efficacy? -
CORRECT ANSWER - signal transduction cascades
One of the signal transduction cascades, pass the message from a first receptor to a
second messenger. - CORRECT ANSWER - G protein linked systems
,Human central nervous system communication at synapses is which of the
following? - CORRECT ANSWER - chemical
Which of the following is an excitatory neurotransmitter? - CORRECT ANSWER
- glutamate
Which statement correctly pairs the pharmacodynamic effect with its definition? -
CORRECT ANSWER - antagonist effect - drug binds to receptor, but does not
activate a response
A major current hypothesis for the cause of schizophrenia proposes that N-methyl-
d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors may be which of the following?
Correct! - CORRECT ANSWER - hypofunctional
Which medication is least associated with weight gain? - CORRECT ANSWER -
aripiprazole
Which dopamine pathway is associated with positive symptoms of schizophrenia?
- CORRECT ANSWER - mesolimbic pathway
Which pathway is associated with negative symptoms? - CORRECT ANSWER -
The mesocortical pathway
Is part of the extrapyramidal nervous system and associated with extrapyramidal
symptoms (EPS) - CORRECT ANSWER - nigrostriatal pathway
,This pathway is associated with hyperprolactinemia. - CORRECT ANSWER -
The tuberoinfundibular pathway
A 34-year old male recently began experiencing breast secretions while receiving
risperidone . Which dopamine pathway is associated with this side effect? -
CORRECT ANSWER - tuberoinfundibular pathway
A 44-year-old woman is initiated on an atypical antipsychotic for the treatment of
schizophrenia. Regarding affinity, atypical antipsychotics demonstrate which of the
following most often? - CORRECT ANSWER - Atypical antipsychotics have
equal positive symptom antipsychotic actions and low extrapyramidal symptoms.
is a syndrome that can be associated with several different psychiatric disorders.
Symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech, disorganized
behavior, and distortions of reality. This syndrome can affect a person's cognition,
affective response, communication, capacity to recognize reality, and ability to
relate to others. - CORRECT ANSWER - psychosis
What Diagnosis require the presence of psychosis? - CORRECT ANSWER -
schizophrenia
substance-induced psychotic disorders
schizophreniform disorder
schizoaffecive disorder
delusional disorder
brief psychotic disorder
psychotic disorder due to a medical condition
, What diagnosis has a diagnosis of psychosis as a feature? - CORRECT ANSWER
- mania
depression
cognitive disorders
dementia
What are some positive symptoms? - CORRECT ANSWER - Hallucinations
Delusions
Thought disorder
Hostility
Excitability
What are some Negative symptoms? - CORRECT ANSWER - Affective
flattening
Alogia
Anhedonia
Amotivation
Asociality
What area of the brain is associated with negative and affective symptoms? -
CORRECT ANSWER - Mesocortical and ventromedial prefrontal cortex:
What area of the brain is associated with cognitive symptoms? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Dorsolateral
ANSWERS) LATEST UPDATE 2025/2026
How does the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) affect the amygdala? - CORRECT
ANSWER - inhibits and activates the amygdala
Wernicke's area is associated with which of the following? - CORRECT
ANSWER - speech comprehension
The limbic system is associated with which of the following - CORRECT
ANSWER - emotion and learning
Which brain structure is most associated with long term memory? - CORRECT
ANSWER - hippocampus
When prescribing psychotropic medications, the PMHNP knows that these
medications work within which specific areas? - CORRECT ANSWER - mood
Which of the following are involved in regulating neurotransmission via
excitation-secretion coupling? - CORRECT ANSWER - voltage-sensitive sodium
channels and voltage-sensitive calcium channels
What system influences the length of time for a drug to achieve efficacy? -
CORRECT ANSWER - signal transduction cascades
One of the signal transduction cascades, pass the message from a first receptor to a
second messenger. - CORRECT ANSWER - G protein linked systems
,Human central nervous system communication at synapses is which of the
following? - CORRECT ANSWER - chemical
Which of the following is an excitatory neurotransmitter? - CORRECT ANSWER
- glutamate
Which statement correctly pairs the pharmacodynamic effect with its definition? -
CORRECT ANSWER - antagonist effect - drug binds to receptor, but does not
activate a response
A major current hypothesis for the cause of schizophrenia proposes that N-methyl-
d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors may be which of the following?
Correct! - CORRECT ANSWER - hypofunctional
Which medication is least associated with weight gain? - CORRECT ANSWER -
aripiprazole
Which dopamine pathway is associated with positive symptoms of schizophrenia?
- CORRECT ANSWER - mesolimbic pathway
Which pathway is associated with negative symptoms? - CORRECT ANSWER -
The mesocortical pathway
Is part of the extrapyramidal nervous system and associated with extrapyramidal
symptoms (EPS) - CORRECT ANSWER - nigrostriatal pathway
,This pathway is associated with hyperprolactinemia. - CORRECT ANSWER -
The tuberoinfundibular pathway
A 34-year old male recently began experiencing breast secretions while receiving
risperidone . Which dopamine pathway is associated with this side effect? -
CORRECT ANSWER - tuberoinfundibular pathway
A 44-year-old woman is initiated on an atypical antipsychotic for the treatment of
schizophrenia. Regarding affinity, atypical antipsychotics demonstrate which of the
following most often? - CORRECT ANSWER - Atypical antipsychotics have
equal positive symptom antipsychotic actions and low extrapyramidal symptoms.
is a syndrome that can be associated with several different psychiatric disorders.
Symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech, disorganized
behavior, and distortions of reality. This syndrome can affect a person's cognition,
affective response, communication, capacity to recognize reality, and ability to
relate to others. - CORRECT ANSWER - psychosis
What Diagnosis require the presence of psychosis? - CORRECT ANSWER -
schizophrenia
substance-induced psychotic disorders
schizophreniform disorder
schizoaffecive disorder
delusional disorder
brief psychotic disorder
psychotic disorder due to a medical condition
, What diagnosis has a diagnosis of psychosis as a feature? - CORRECT ANSWER
- mania
depression
cognitive disorders
dementia
What are some positive symptoms? - CORRECT ANSWER - Hallucinations
Delusions
Thought disorder
Hostility
Excitability
What are some Negative symptoms? - CORRECT ANSWER - Affective
flattening
Alogia
Anhedonia
Amotivation
Asociality
What area of the brain is associated with negative and affective symptoms? -
CORRECT ANSWER - Mesocortical and ventromedial prefrontal cortex:
What area of the brain is associated with cognitive symptoms? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Dorsolateral
