PSYCHIATRY-PHARMACOLOGY
(USMLE) EXAM 2025 QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
Drug of choice for management of chronic generalized anxiety disorder -
....ANSWER ...-antidepressants
<i>velaxafine and SSRIs preferred over TCAs
What drugs can be used for acute treatment of generalized anxiety disorder or as
adjuncts during initiation of antidepressant therapy? - ....ANSWER ...-
benzodiazepines
Name a second-line agent for generalized anxiety disorder. - ....ANSWER ...-
buspirone
<i>alternative agents: hydroxyzine and pregabalin
Drug of choice for panic disorder - ....ANSWER ...-SSRIs
....COPYRIGHT ©️ 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED...TRUSTED & VERIFIED 1
,List 2 adverse effects of alprazolam that do not make it an ideal choice for
treatment of panic disorder. - ....ANSWER ...-rebound anxiety between
doses
withdrawal syndromes, including seizures
Drug of choice for social anxiety disorder - ....ANSWER ...-SSRIs
List 3/5 FDA-approved drugs for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
- ....ANSWER ...-clomipramine
fluoxetine
fluvoxamine
paroxetine
sertraline
....COPYRIGHT ©️ 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED...TRUSTED & VERIFIED 2
,<i>benzodiazepines or antipsychotic drugs can be added for highly anxious
patients
Drug of choice for PTSD - ....ANSWER ...-SSRIs
List 2 SSRIs approved for the <i>ACUTE</i> treatment of PTSD. Which is
indicated for long-term management as well? - ....ANSWER ...-sertraline:
long-term management as well
paroxetine
Drug of choice for performance anxiety - ....ANSWER ...-propranolol
<i>and other beta-blockers
What amino acid precursor gives rise to dopamine? - ....ANSWER ...-
tyrosine
<i>must be transported across the blood-brain barrier into the dopamine neuron
What transporter allows for tyrosine uptake in the presynaptic neuron? -
....ANSWER ...-system L
<i>Na+-independent manner
....COPYRIGHT ©️ 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED...TRUSTED & VERIFIED 3
, What is the rate-limiting enzyme in dopamine synthesis? - ....ANSWER ...-
tyrosine hydroxylase
<i>tetrahydrobiopterin cofactor required
What enzyme converts DOPA to dopamine? - ....ANSWER ...-DOPA
decarboxylase
<i>so rapid that DOPA levels in brain negligible
How do D1 and D2 receptors affect adenylyl cyclase activity? -
....ANSWER ...-D1: ↑ adenylyl cyclase
D2: ↓ adenylyl cyclase, ↑ K+ conductance, ↓ Ca2+ conductance
How do dopaminergic neurons from the substantia nigra affect GABAergic output
from the striatum? - ....ANSWER ...-normally inhibit the GABAergic output
Destruction of neurons of which dopamine pathway cause Parkinson's disease? -
....ANSWER ...-nigrostriatal
<i>70% of neurons destroyed at time symptoms first appear
....COPYRIGHT ©️ 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED...TRUSTED & VERIFIED 4
(USMLE) EXAM 2025 QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
Drug of choice for management of chronic generalized anxiety disorder -
....ANSWER ...-antidepressants
<i>velaxafine and SSRIs preferred over TCAs
What drugs can be used for acute treatment of generalized anxiety disorder or as
adjuncts during initiation of antidepressant therapy? - ....ANSWER ...-
benzodiazepines
Name a second-line agent for generalized anxiety disorder. - ....ANSWER ...-
buspirone
<i>alternative agents: hydroxyzine and pregabalin
Drug of choice for panic disorder - ....ANSWER ...-SSRIs
....COPYRIGHT ©️ 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED...TRUSTED & VERIFIED 1
,List 2 adverse effects of alprazolam that do not make it an ideal choice for
treatment of panic disorder. - ....ANSWER ...-rebound anxiety between
doses
withdrawal syndromes, including seizures
Drug of choice for social anxiety disorder - ....ANSWER ...-SSRIs
List 3/5 FDA-approved drugs for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
- ....ANSWER ...-clomipramine
fluoxetine
fluvoxamine
paroxetine
sertraline
....COPYRIGHT ©️ 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED...TRUSTED & VERIFIED 2
,<i>benzodiazepines or antipsychotic drugs can be added for highly anxious
patients
Drug of choice for PTSD - ....ANSWER ...-SSRIs
List 2 SSRIs approved for the <i>ACUTE</i> treatment of PTSD. Which is
indicated for long-term management as well? - ....ANSWER ...-sertraline:
long-term management as well
paroxetine
Drug of choice for performance anxiety - ....ANSWER ...-propranolol
<i>and other beta-blockers
What amino acid precursor gives rise to dopamine? - ....ANSWER ...-
tyrosine
<i>must be transported across the blood-brain barrier into the dopamine neuron
What transporter allows for tyrosine uptake in the presynaptic neuron? -
....ANSWER ...-system L
<i>Na+-independent manner
....COPYRIGHT ©️ 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED...TRUSTED & VERIFIED 3
, What is the rate-limiting enzyme in dopamine synthesis? - ....ANSWER ...-
tyrosine hydroxylase
<i>tetrahydrobiopterin cofactor required
What enzyme converts DOPA to dopamine? - ....ANSWER ...-DOPA
decarboxylase
<i>so rapid that DOPA levels in brain negligible
How do D1 and D2 receptors affect adenylyl cyclase activity? -
....ANSWER ...-D1: ↑ adenylyl cyclase
D2: ↓ adenylyl cyclase, ↑ K+ conductance, ↓ Ca2+ conductance
How do dopaminergic neurons from the substantia nigra affect GABAergic output
from the striatum? - ....ANSWER ...-normally inhibit the GABAergic output
Destruction of neurons of which dopamine pathway cause Parkinson's disease? -
....ANSWER ...-nigrostriatal
<i>70% of neurons destroyed at time symptoms first appear
....COPYRIGHT ©️ 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED...TRUSTED & VERIFIED 4
