Advanced Pharmacology Notes – NR 546
– Chamberlain University (2025/2026)
Instructions: Select the best answer from the four options provided for each of the 80 multiple-
choice questions. Answers are provided in red, followed by a rationale explaining the correct
answer and why others are incorrect.
1. Which neurotransmitter regulates mood, sleep, and appetite?
a) Dopamine
b) Serotonin
c) Norepinephrine
d) Glutamate
Answer: b) Serotonin
Rationale: Serotonin (5-HT) modulates mood, sleep, and appetite, with dysregulation
linked to depression and anxiety. Dopamine (a) regulates reward, norepinephrine (c)
arousal, and glutamate (d) excitation (Stahl, 2021).
2. Which receptor type is associated with serotonin?
a) Nicotinic
b) 5-HT1
c) Mu-opioid
d) GABA-A
Answer: b) 5-HT1
Rationale: 5-HT1 receptors (inhibitory) are serotonin-specific. Nicotinic (a) is for
acetylcholine, mu-opioid (c) for opioids, and GABA-A (d) for GABA (Stahl, 2021).
3. Which disorder is associated with serotonin dysregulation?
a) Schizophrenia
b) Major depressive disorder
c) Parkinson’s disease
d) Alzheimer’s disease
Answer: b) Major depressive disorder
Rationale: Low serotonin is linked to MDD. Schizophrenia (a) involves dopamine,
Parkinson’s (c) dopamine deficiency, and Alzheimer’s (d) acetylcholine (Kandel et al.,
2021).
,4. Which medication increases synaptic serotonin?
a) Haloperidol
b) Sertraline
c) Lorazepam
d) Donepezil
Answer: b) Sertraline
Rationale: Sertraline, an SSRI, inhibits serotonin reuptake. Haloperidol (a) blocks
dopamine, lorazepam (c) enhances GABA, and donepezil (d) inhibits cholinesterase
(Lexicomp, 2023).
5. What is a side effect of SSRIs due to serotonin increase?
a) Weight loss
b) Sexual dysfunction
c) Hypertension
d) Sedation
Answer: b) Sexual dysfunction
Rationale: SSRIs cause sexual dysfunction via serotonin receptor stimulation. Weight
loss (a) is rare, hypertension (c) is SNRI-related, and sedation (d) is TCA-related (Stahl,
2021).
6. Which serotonin receptor is excitatory?
a) 5-HT1
b) 5-HT2
c) 5-HT3
d) 5-HT7
Answer: b) 5-HT2
Rationale: 5-HT2 receptors are excitatory, contributing to mood regulation. 5-HT1 (a) is
inhibitory, 5-HT3 (c) is ionotropic, and 5-HT7 (d) modulates other functions (Stahl,
2021).
7. Which medication targets serotonin and norepinephrine?
a) Bupropion
b) Duloxetine
c) Lorazepam
d) Risperidone
Answer: b) Duloxetine
Rationale: Duloxetine, an SNRI, inhibits serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake.
, Bupropion (a) targets dopamine, lorazepam (c) GABA, and risperidone (d) blocks
serotonin/dopamine (Lexicomp, 2023).
8. What is a symptom of serotonin syndrome?
a) Bradycardia
b) Tremors
c) Hypotension
d) Hypothermia
Answer: b) Tremors
Rationale: Tremors are a hallmark of serotonin syndrome due to excess serotonin.
Bradycardia (a), hypotension (c), and hypothermia (d) are not typical (Stahl, 2021).
9. Which neurotransmitter modulates reward and motivation?
a) Serotonin
b) Dopamine
c) GABA
d) Acetylcholine
Answer: b) Dopamine
Rationale: Dopamine regulates reward and motivation via mesolimbic pathways.
Serotonin (a) affects mood, GABA (c) inhibition, and acetylcholine (d) memory (Kandel
et al., 2021).
10. Which dopamine receptor is inhibitory?
a) D1
b) D2
c) D5
d) D3
Answer: b) D2
Rationale: D2-like receptors (D2, D3, D4) are inhibitory. D1 (a) and D5 (c) are
excitatory, and D3 (d) is also inhibitory but less targeted (Stahl, 2021).
11. Which disorder is associated with excess dopamine in the mesolimbic pathway?
a) Depression
b) Schizophrenia
c) Anxiety
d) Alzheimer’s
Answer: b) Schizophrenia
Rationale: Excess mesolimbic dopamine causes positive symptoms in schizophrenia.