NR 546 Comprehensive Exam Study Guide
Review the weekly Explore sections content and required readings as noted
within your Student Lesson Plan for Learning Success. Review the medication
and neurotransmitter tables you have completed. Each weekly module will
cover 17-18 questions on the exam.
Midterm Exam Preparation
Study Tips:
Review weekly Explore section content and required readings as outlined in your Student
Lesson Plan.
Use your completed medication and neurotransmitter tables as critical study tools.
Focus on these strategies:
o Exam Relevance: Questions align closely with board certification exam styles.
o Neuroscience Foundation: Understand brain areas associated with symptoms
and how medications act on those areas.
o Identify Unique Features: Take note of medications with distinctive properties
(e.g., first-line treatments, CYP450 interactions).
o Critical Reading: Carefully analyze exam questions to differentiate between
similar answer choices.
Summarize key concepts in your own words or create diagrams to visualize relationships.
Teach the material to someone else to reinforce understanding.
Study in focused sessions of 25–50 minutes, with 5–10-minute breaks in between.
Review material periodically over several days or weeks instead of cramming. Write
notes by hand and use color coding or mind maps to organize information visually.
Read each exam question twice before looking at the answer.
Set aside specific times each day for studying.
View challenges as opportunities to improve.
At the end of each study session, jot down key takeaways, lingering questions, or topics
needing more review and use this reflection to plan your next study session effectively
Module 1: Functional Neuroanatomy, Ethics, and Genetics
Key Topics:
Functional Neuroanatomy: covered in both the course Explore section and readings
o Brain anatomy and physiology.
o Link symptoms to affected brain areas (e.g., inability to copy a word or drawing
→ what part of the brain is affected).
This study source was downloaded by 100000900231380 from CourseHero.com on 07-30-2025 09:16:23 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/249732680/NR546-Updated-Study-Guide-2025docx/
, Ethical Issues:
o Understand principles like autonomy and informed consent.
o Review the Explore section
Epigenetics:
o Explore how gene expression impacts mental health.
o Review the Explore section
Genetics and CYP450:
o Learn the effects of inducers and inhibitors on pharmacodynamics and
pharmacokinetics. Also Review Stahl Ch. 2.
o Review the Explore section and know the CYP 450 impact
o What are some very common/concerning interactions?
Incidence of Mental Illness:
o Explore factors contributing to increased prevalence of mental illness.
Module 2: Neurotransmission and Pharmacology
Key Topics:
CYP450 Enzymes:
o Role in drug metabolism.
o Review common inducers (e.g., carbamazepine) and inhibitors. Review Stahl Ch.
2 and Stahl pg. 49 Note the most common inhibitors and inducers noted in your
Stahl readings. You will see these mentioned on boards. Make sure to review
carbamazepine. Is this medication an inhibitor or an inducer? How does
combining carbamazepine with another medication affect your prescribing? Are
dose adjustments necessary? What happens if you prescribe an inducer or an
inhibitor with a substrate?
Agonists and Antagonists:
o Know definitions
o Understand full, partial, and inverse agonists and their clinical implications.
o Review Stahl’s agonist spectrum section. Review the figures regarding agonists.
Neurotransmission:
o Study retrograde transmission and signal transduction cascades.
o Explore why some medications have delayed effects and take weeks for client to
notice a response? Which neurotransmission process causes this?
o Review the Explore section and readings. What are the types of
neurotransmission?
Module 3: Antipsychotics
Key Topics:
This study source was downloaded by 100000900231380 from CourseHero.com on 07-30-2025 09:16:23 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/249732680/NR546-Updated-Study-Guide-2025docx/
Review the weekly Explore sections content and required readings as noted
within your Student Lesson Plan for Learning Success. Review the medication
and neurotransmitter tables you have completed. Each weekly module will
cover 17-18 questions on the exam.
Midterm Exam Preparation
Study Tips:
Review weekly Explore section content and required readings as outlined in your Student
Lesson Plan.
Use your completed medication and neurotransmitter tables as critical study tools.
Focus on these strategies:
o Exam Relevance: Questions align closely with board certification exam styles.
o Neuroscience Foundation: Understand brain areas associated with symptoms
and how medications act on those areas.
o Identify Unique Features: Take note of medications with distinctive properties
(e.g., first-line treatments, CYP450 interactions).
o Critical Reading: Carefully analyze exam questions to differentiate between
similar answer choices.
Summarize key concepts in your own words or create diagrams to visualize relationships.
Teach the material to someone else to reinforce understanding.
Study in focused sessions of 25–50 minutes, with 5–10-minute breaks in between.
Review material periodically over several days or weeks instead of cramming. Write
notes by hand and use color coding or mind maps to organize information visually.
Read each exam question twice before looking at the answer.
Set aside specific times each day for studying.
View challenges as opportunities to improve.
At the end of each study session, jot down key takeaways, lingering questions, or topics
needing more review and use this reflection to plan your next study session effectively
Module 1: Functional Neuroanatomy, Ethics, and Genetics
Key Topics:
Functional Neuroanatomy: covered in both the course Explore section and readings
o Brain anatomy and physiology.
o Link symptoms to affected brain areas (e.g., inability to copy a word or drawing
→ what part of the brain is affected).
This study source was downloaded by 100000900231380 from CourseHero.com on 07-30-2025 09:16:23 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/249732680/NR546-Updated-Study-Guide-2025docx/
, Ethical Issues:
o Understand principles like autonomy and informed consent.
o Review the Explore section
Epigenetics:
o Explore how gene expression impacts mental health.
o Review the Explore section
Genetics and CYP450:
o Learn the effects of inducers and inhibitors on pharmacodynamics and
pharmacokinetics. Also Review Stahl Ch. 2.
o Review the Explore section and know the CYP 450 impact
o What are some very common/concerning interactions?
Incidence of Mental Illness:
o Explore factors contributing to increased prevalence of mental illness.
Module 2: Neurotransmission and Pharmacology
Key Topics:
CYP450 Enzymes:
o Role in drug metabolism.
o Review common inducers (e.g., carbamazepine) and inhibitors. Review Stahl Ch.
2 and Stahl pg. 49 Note the most common inhibitors and inducers noted in your
Stahl readings. You will see these mentioned on boards. Make sure to review
carbamazepine. Is this medication an inhibitor or an inducer? How does
combining carbamazepine with another medication affect your prescribing? Are
dose adjustments necessary? What happens if you prescribe an inducer or an
inhibitor with a substrate?
Agonists and Antagonists:
o Know definitions
o Understand full, partial, and inverse agonists and their clinical implications.
o Review Stahl’s agonist spectrum section. Review the figures regarding agonists.
Neurotransmission:
o Study retrograde transmission and signal transduction cascades.
o Explore why some medications have delayed effects and take weeks for client to
notice a response? Which neurotransmission process causes this?
o Review the Explore section and readings. What are the types of
neurotransmission?
Module 3: Antipsychotics
Key Topics:
This study source was downloaded by 100000900231380 from CourseHero.com on 07-30-2025 09:16:23 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/249732680/NR546-Updated-Study-Guide-2025docx/
