MGRADES EXAMS
NURS 5461 - Geri Mgmt - UT Arlington -
Psych/Mental Health UPDATED ACTUAL
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
Amygdala - emotional center of brain
Hypothalamus - appetite, pleasure
Basal ganglia - psychomotor movement
Prefrontal cortex - thinking, focus, concentration - like a secretary
Hippocampus - memory, used by student
Depression affects all parts of the brain - CORRECT ANSWER -
Neurotransmitters - carry messages back and forth
Depression if too low or too high
Involved in pleasure, anxiety, sleep, plasticity of the brain - CORRECT ANSWER -
Glial cells - CORRECT ANSWER - Protect the neurons by stabilizing glutamate and
supplying glucose to neurons (stick like glue).
They synthesize and release neurotropic factors (BDNF) for repair and survival of neurons
Stress causes decrease in brain derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) and thus a decrease in
neuroplasticity and neurogenisis with in the brian.
Antidepressants increase neurotropic factors (may normalize) therefore possibly recovering
volume size and function of brain
Increased glutamate - CORRECT ANSWER - causes:
Excess glucocorticoids (HPA axis)
Decreased GLIA PFC
, MGRADES EXAMS
Fewer glial glutamate transporters
Neurons get exposed to glutamate and can no longer function
Progressive depression
Damage to neurons (neurotoxicity)
2 x greater risk of dementia with depression!
Prefrontal Cortex - CORRECT ANSWER - Becomes hypoactive in depression
Important because the PFC is where messages go so that we can make decisions
When PFC is reduced in sized and is hypoactive, the individual doesn't really have the ability to
plan
Ability to plan leaves the PFC and goes to the amygdala - which is the emotional center of brain;
decisions are then managed through emotional response, not planning
Depression - cannot plan, cannot organize, just lay around because PFC is hypoactive
hypothalamic pituitary adrenal = HPA axis - CORRECT ANSWER - Involved - stress,
message sent to thalamus, which triggers that hypothalamus to release the cortico releasing factor
which then triggers the pituitary to release the adrenocortico hormone which then triggers
adrenal cortex to release cortisol which works for a while but with repeated messages sent,
cortisol levels drop
Chronic stress causes lower levels of cortisol
When given medications, factors can stabilize and normalize
PFC becomes normal, amygdala becomes normal
Dysregulation due to Circadian Rhythms - CORRECT ANSWER - *Delayed sleep onset
*Shortened REM latency
*Increased length of 1st REM period
NURS 5461 - Geri Mgmt - UT Arlington -
Psych/Mental Health UPDATED ACTUAL
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
Amygdala - emotional center of brain
Hypothalamus - appetite, pleasure
Basal ganglia - psychomotor movement
Prefrontal cortex - thinking, focus, concentration - like a secretary
Hippocampus - memory, used by student
Depression affects all parts of the brain - CORRECT ANSWER -
Neurotransmitters - carry messages back and forth
Depression if too low or too high
Involved in pleasure, anxiety, sleep, plasticity of the brain - CORRECT ANSWER -
Glial cells - CORRECT ANSWER - Protect the neurons by stabilizing glutamate and
supplying glucose to neurons (stick like glue).
They synthesize and release neurotropic factors (BDNF) for repair and survival of neurons
Stress causes decrease in brain derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) and thus a decrease in
neuroplasticity and neurogenisis with in the brian.
Antidepressants increase neurotropic factors (may normalize) therefore possibly recovering
volume size and function of brain
Increased glutamate - CORRECT ANSWER - causes:
Excess glucocorticoids (HPA axis)
Decreased GLIA PFC
, MGRADES EXAMS
Fewer glial glutamate transporters
Neurons get exposed to glutamate and can no longer function
Progressive depression
Damage to neurons (neurotoxicity)
2 x greater risk of dementia with depression!
Prefrontal Cortex - CORRECT ANSWER - Becomes hypoactive in depression
Important because the PFC is where messages go so that we can make decisions
When PFC is reduced in sized and is hypoactive, the individual doesn't really have the ability to
plan
Ability to plan leaves the PFC and goes to the amygdala - which is the emotional center of brain;
decisions are then managed through emotional response, not planning
Depression - cannot plan, cannot organize, just lay around because PFC is hypoactive
hypothalamic pituitary adrenal = HPA axis - CORRECT ANSWER - Involved - stress,
message sent to thalamus, which triggers that hypothalamus to release the cortico releasing factor
which then triggers the pituitary to release the adrenocortico hormone which then triggers
adrenal cortex to release cortisol which works for a while but with repeated messages sent,
cortisol levels drop
Chronic stress causes lower levels of cortisol
When given medications, factors can stabilize and normalize
PFC becomes normal, amygdala becomes normal
Dysregulation due to Circadian Rhythms - CORRECT ANSWER - *Delayed sleep onset
*Shortened REM latency
*Increased length of 1st REM period
