1) Hyperactivity in which pathway is most associated with the positive symptoms of
schizophrenia? A. Mesocortical dopamine pathway B. Mesolimbic dopamine pathway C.
Nigrostriatal dopamine pathway D. Tuberoinfundibular dopamine pathway. -Mesolimbic
dopamine hyperactivity produces positive symptoms (hallucinations, delusions). Other
pathways relate to negative/cognitive symptoms (mesocortical), movement (nigrostriatal),
and prolactin (tuberoinfundibular).
2) Decreased function of which neurotransmitter is most implicated in generalized anxiety
disorder and is the target of benzodiazepines? A. GABA B. Dopamine C. Glutamate D.
Acetylcholine. -GABA is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter; benzodiazepines enhance
GABA-A activity. Dopamine, glutamate, and acetylcholine are not primary benzodiazepine
targets.
3) Reduced neurogenesis and volume in which brain region are commonly observed in
chronic major depressive disorder, associated with HPA axis dysregulation? A. Amygdala
B. Hippocampus C. Nucleus accumbens D. Cerebellum. -Chronic depression is associated
with hippocampal atrophy via HPA-axis hypercortisolemia. Amygdala relates to fear;
nucleus accumbens to reward; cerebellum to coordination.
4) NMDA receptor hypofunction implicates dysregulation of which neurotransmitter in
schizophrenia? A. Glutamate B. Serotonin C. Norepinephrine D. Histamine. -NMDA
receptor hypofunction implicates glutamate in schizophrenia pathophysiology. Serotonin,
norepinephrine, and histamine are less directly implicated in this mechanism.
5) Which neurotransmitter is most associated with reward, motivation, and addiction
pathways? A. Norepinephrine B. Acetylcholine C. Dopamine D. GABA. - Dopamine drives
reward and reinforcement pathways (VTA to nucleus accumbens). Norepinephrine is
arousal; acetylcholine is memory/attention; GABA is inhibitory tone.
6) Increased norepinephrine activity from which brainstem nucleus is associated with
hyperarousal in anxiety disorders? A. Raphe nuclei B. Locus coeruleus C. Ventral
tegmental area D. Substantia nigra. - Locus coeruleus is the primary noradrenergic nucleus;
overactivity leads to hyperarousal and anxiety. Raphe nuclei are serotonergic; VTA and
substantia nigra are dopaminergic.
7) Which neurotransmitter deficit is most associated with Alzheimer’s disease cognitive
symptoms? A. Dopamine B. Acetylcholine C. GABA D. Glutamate. -Acetylcholine
deficiency correlates with cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s; hence cholinesterase inhibitors
help. Dopamine relates to movement/psychosis; GABA/glutamate roles are different.
8) Low central serotonin levels are most strongly linked to which clinical feature? A.
Anhedonia B. Psychomotor retardation C. Aggression/impulsivity D. Catatonia. Low
central serotonin is linked to aggression and impulsivity.- Anhedonia is more dopaminergic;
psychomotor changes are nonspecific; catatonia is distinct.
9) Excess dopamine blockade in which pathway most commonly causes extrapyramidal
symptoms? A. Mesolimbic B. Mesocortical C. Nigrostriatal D. Tuberoinfundibular.
Nigrostriatal dopamine blockade causes EPS. -Mesolimbic blockade targets positive
symptoms; mesocortical blockade can worsen negative symptoms; tuberoinfundibular
blockade raises prolactin.
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, 10) Which combination most increases the risk of serotonin syndrome? A. SSRI with
benzodiazepine B. SSRI with MAOI C. SSRI with bupropion D. SSRI with beta-blocker.
SSRI plus MAOI can precipitate serotonin syndrome. -Benzodiazepines do not raise
serotonin; bupropion is dopaminergic/noradrenergic; beta-blockers do not affect serotonin.
11) The prefrontal cortex is primarily responsible for which function? A. Motor coordination
B. Executive function and decision-making C. Fear conditioning D. Autonomic
regulation. - Prefrontal cortex supports executive functions, planning, and decision-making.
Motor coordination is cerebellar; fear is amygdala; autonomic regulation is
hypothalamus/brainstem.
12) The amygdala is most closely associated with: A. Working memory consolidation B.
Visual processing C. Emotional processing and fear D. Language comprehension. -The
amygdala processes emotion, especially fear and threat detection. Working memory is
prefrontal; visual processing is occipital; language comprehension is temporal (Wernicke).
13) The hippocampus is most critical for: A. Procedural learning B. Formation of new
declarative memories C. Speech production D. Pain modulation. - Hippocampus
consolidates new declarative memories. Procedural learning is basal ganglia/cerebellum;
speech production is Broca’s; pain modulation is periaqueductal gray.
14) Damage to Broca’s area results in: A. Fluent aphasia with poor comprehension B.
Nonfluent aphasia with intact comprehension C. Dysarthria with intact language D.
Agraphia only. -Broca’s area damage causes nonfluent (expressive) aphasia with relatively
intact comprehension. Fluent aphasia with poor comprehension is Wernicke’s.
15) The basal ganglia are centrally involved in: A. Regulation of endocrine output B. Fine-
tuning of motor movement and habit learning C. Somatosensory integration D.
Language comprehension. - Basal ganglia refine motor output and underlie habit learning.
Endocrine regulation is hypothalamus; somatosensory integration is parietal; language
comprehension is temporal.
16) The hypothalamus primarily regulates: A. Motor planning B. Arousal and attention C.
Homeostasis and endocrine function D. Visuospatial processing. - Hypothalamus
regulates homeostasis (temperature, hunger, thirst) and endocrine output (via pituitary).
Motor planning is frontal; attention is in diffuse networks.
17) The nucleus accumbens is best known for its role in: A. Long-term memory
consolidation B. Reward and reinforcement C. Arousal and wakefulness D. Pain
modulation. - Nucleus accumbens is central to reward and reinforcement. Memory
consolidation is hippocampal; arousal is brainstem; pain modulation is PAG.
18) Wernicke’s area is primarily responsible for: A. Speech production B. Language
comprehension C. Executive function D. Olfactory processing. - Wernicke’s area mediates
language comprehension. Speech production is Broca’s; executive function is frontal;
olfaction is piriform cortex.
19) Erikson’s stage of adolescence focuses on: A. Industry vs. inferiority B. Identity vs.
role confusion C. Intimacy vs. isolation D. Autonomy vs. shame/doubt. 19) Identity vs. role
confusion is the adolescent Erikson stage. -Childhood focuses on industry vs. inferiority;
early adulthood on intimacy vs. isolation.
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schizophrenia? A. Mesocortical dopamine pathway B. Mesolimbic dopamine pathway C.
Nigrostriatal dopamine pathway D. Tuberoinfundibular dopamine pathway. -Mesolimbic
dopamine hyperactivity produces positive symptoms (hallucinations, delusions). Other
pathways relate to negative/cognitive symptoms (mesocortical), movement (nigrostriatal),
and prolactin (tuberoinfundibular).
2) Decreased function of which neurotransmitter is most implicated in generalized anxiety
disorder and is the target of benzodiazepines? A. GABA B. Dopamine C. Glutamate D.
Acetylcholine. -GABA is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter; benzodiazepines enhance
GABA-A activity. Dopamine, glutamate, and acetylcholine are not primary benzodiazepine
targets.
3) Reduced neurogenesis and volume in which brain region are commonly observed in
chronic major depressive disorder, associated with HPA axis dysregulation? A. Amygdala
B. Hippocampus C. Nucleus accumbens D. Cerebellum. -Chronic depression is associated
with hippocampal atrophy via HPA-axis hypercortisolemia. Amygdala relates to fear;
nucleus accumbens to reward; cerebellum to coordination.
4) NMDA receptor hypofunction implicates dysregulation of which neurotransmitter in
schizophrenia? A. Glutamate B. Serotonin C. Norepinephrine D. Histamine. -NMDA
receptor hypofunction implicates glutamate in schizophrenia pathophysiology. Serotonin,
norepinephrine, and histamine are less directly implicated in this mechanism.
5) Which neurotransmitter is most associated with reward, motivation, and addiction
pathways? A. Norepinephrine B. Acetylcholine C. Dopamine D. GABA. - Dopamine drives
reward and reinforcement pathways (VTA to nucleus accumbens). Norepinephrine is
arousal; acetylcholine is memory/attention; GABA is inhibitory tone.
6) Increased norepinephrine activity from which brainstem nucleus is associated with
hyperarousal in anxiety disorders? A. Raphe nuclei B. Locus coeruleus C. Ventral
tegmental area D. Substantia nigra. - Locus coeruleus is the primary noradrenergic nucleus;
overactivity leads to hyperarousal and anxiety. Raphe nuclei are serotonergic; VTA and
substantia nigra are dopaminergic.
7) Which neurotransmitter deficit is most associated with Alzheimer’s disease cognitive
symptoms? A. Dopamine B. Acetylcholine C. GABA D. Glutamate. -Acetylcholine
deficiency correlates with cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s; hence cholinesterase inhibitors
help. Dopamine relates to movement/psychosis; GABA/glutamate roles are different.
8) Low central serotonin levels are most strongly linked to which clinical feature? A.
Anhedonia B. Psychomotor retardation C. Aggression/impulsivity D. Catatonia. Low
central serotonin is linked to aggression and impulsivity.- Anhedonia is more dopaminergic;
psychomotor changes are nonspecific; catatonia is distinct.
9) Excess dopamine blockade in which pathway most commonly causes extrapyramidal
symptoms? A. Mesolimbic B. Mesocortical C. Nigrostriatal D. Tuberoinfundibular.
Nigrostriatal dopamine blockade causes EPS. -Mesolimbic blockade targets positive
symptoms; mesocortical blockade can worsen negative symptoms; tuberoinfundibular
blockade raises prolactin.
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, 10) Which combination most increases the risk of serotonin syndrome? A. SSRI with
benzodiazepine B. SSRI with MAOI C. SSRI with bupropion D. SSRI with beta-blocker.
SSRI plus MAOI can precipitate serotonin syndrome. -Benzodiazepines do not raise
serotonin; bupropion is dopaminergic/noradrenergic; beta-blockers do not affect serotonin.
11) The prefrontal cortex is primarily responsible for which function? A. Motor coordination
B. Executive function and decision-making C. Fear conditioning D. Autonomic
regulation. - Prefrontal cortex supports executive functions, planning, and decision-making.
Motor coordination is cerebellar; fear is amygdala; autonomic regulation is
hypothalamus/brainstem.
12) The amygdala is most closely associated with: A. Working memory consolidation B.
Visual processing C. Emotional processing and fear D. Language comprehension. -The
amygdala processes emotion, especially fear and threat detection. Working memory is
prefrontal; visual processing is occipital; language comprehension is temporal (Wernicke).
13) The hippocampus is most critical for: A. Procedural learning B. Formation of new
declarative memories C. Speech production D. Pain modulation. - Hippocampus
consolidates new declarative memories. Procedural learning is basal ganglia/cerebellum;
speech production is Broca’s; pain modulation is periaqueductal gray.
14) Damage to Broca’s area results in: A. Fluent aphasia with poor comprehension B.
Nonfluent aphasia with intact comprehension C. Dysarthria with intact language D.
Agraphia only. -Broca’s area damage causes nonfluent (expressive) aphasia with relatively
intact comprehension. Fluent aphasia with poor comprehension is Wernicke’s.
15) The basal ganglia are centrally involved in: A. Regulation of endocrine output B. Fine-
tuning of motor movement and habit learning C. Somatosensory integration D.
Language comprehension. - Basal ganglia refine motor output and underlie habit learning.
Endocrine regulation is hypothalamus; somatosensory integration is parietal; language
comprehension is temporal.
16) The hypothalamus primarily regulates: A. Motor planning B. Arousal and attention C.
Homeostasis and endocrine function D. Visuospatial processing. - Hypothalamus
regulates homeostasis (temperature, hunger, thirst) and endocrine output (via pituitary).
Motor planning is frontal; attention is in diffuse networks.
17) The nucleus accumbens is best known for its role in: A. Long-term memory
consolidation B. Reward and reinforcement C. Arousal and wakefulness D. Pain
modulation. - Nucleus accumbens is central to reward and reinforcement. Memory
consolidation is hippocampal; arousal is brainstem; pain modulation is PAG.
18) Wernicke’s area is primarily responsible for: A. Speech production B. Language
comprehension C. Executive function D. Olfactory processing. - Wernicke’s area mediates
language comprehension. Speech production is Broca’s; executive function is frontal;
olfaction is piriform cortex.
19) Erikson’s stage of adolescence focuses on: A. Industry vs. inferiority B. Identity vs.
role confusion C. Intimacy vs. isolation D. Autonomy vs. shame/doubt. 19) Identity vs. role
confusion is the adolescent Erikson stage. -Childhood focuses on industry vs. inferiority;
early adulthood on intimacy vs. isolation.
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