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NSG 552 – Exam 1: Antipsychotics
INTENSIVE MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS WITH
RATIONALES
1. Dopamine dysfunction in schizophrenia is explained by four major dopamine pathways.
Which pathway is primarily associated with positive symptoms such as hallucinations and
delusions?
A. Mesocortical pathway
B. Nigrostriatal pathway
C. Tuberoinfundibular pathway
D. Mesolimbic pathway
✅Correct Answer: D
Rationale:
Excess dopamine activity in the mesolimbic pathway leads to positive symptoms
(hallucinations, delusions).
2. Dopamine deficiency in which pathway is most closely associated with negative symptoms
such as flat affect, anhedonia, and avolition?
A. Mesolimbic
B. Nigrostriatal
C. Mesocortical
D. Tuberoinfundibular
✅Correct Answer: C
Rationale:
Reduced dopamine in the mesocortical pathway worsens negative and cognitive symptoms.
3. Extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) are caused by dopamine blockade in which pathway?
A. Mesolimbic
B. Mesocortical
,ESTUDYR
C. Nigrostriatal
D. Tuberoinfundibular
✅Correct Answer: C
Rationale:
The nigrostriatal pathway regulates movement; dopamine blockade here causes EPS.
4. Hyperprolactinemia is caused by dopamine blockade in which dopamine pathway?
A. Mesolimbic
B. Mesocortical
C. Nigrostriatal
D. Tuberoinfundibular
✅Correct Answer: D
Rationale:
Dopamine inhibits prolactin release. Blocking dopamine in the tuberoinfundibular pathway
increases prolactin.
5. Symptoms of schizophrenia are classically divided into which two categories?
A. Cognitive and affective
B. Acute and chronic
C. Positive and negative
D. Primary and secondary
✅Correct Answer: C
6. Which of the following is considered a negative symptom of schizophrenia?
A. Hallucinations
B. Delusions
C. Avolition
D. Hostility
✅Correct Answer: C
Rationale:
Negative symptoms include alogia, anhedonia, avolition, and cognitive deficits.
, ESTUDYR
7. Which of the following represents a positive symptom of schizophrenia?
A. Flat affect
B. Anhedonia
C. Hallucinations
D. Social withdrawal
✅Correct Answer: C
8. Antipsychotic polypharmacy increases the risk of all the following EXCEPT:
A. Extrapyramidal symptoms
B. Metabolic syndrome
C. Sudden cardiac death
D. Improved medication adherence
✅Correct Answer: D
Rationale:
Polypharmacy increases adverse outcomes and mortality, not adherence.
9. Another name for first-generation antipsychotics is:
A. Second-generation antipsychotics
B. Atypical antipsychotics
C. Typical antipsychotics (FGA)
D. Partial agonists
✅Correct Answer: C
10. Another name for second-generation antipsychotics is:
A. Typical antipsychotics
B. Dopamine antagonists
C. Atypical antipsychotics (SGA)
D. High-potency FGAs
✅Correct Answer: C
NSG 552 – Exam 1: Antipsychotics
INTENSIVE MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS WITH
RATIONALES
1. Dopamine dysfunction in schizophrenia is explained by four major dopamine pathways.
Which pathway is primarily associated with positive symptoms such as hallucinations and
delusions?
A. Mesocortical pathway
B. Nigrostriatal pathway
C. Tuberoinfundibular pathway
D. Mesolimbic pathway
✅Correct Answer: D
Rationale:
Excess dopamine activity in the mesolimbic pathway leads to positive symptoms
(hallucinations, delusions).
2. Dopamine deficiency in which pathway is most closely associated with negative symptoms
such as flat affect, anhedonia, and avolition?
A. Mesolimbic
B. Nigrostriatal
C. Mesocortical
D. Tuberoinfundibular
✅Correct Answer: C
Rationale:
Reduced dopamine in the mesocortical pathway worsens negative and cognitive symptoms.
3. Extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) are caused by dopamine blockade in which pathway?
A. Mesolimbic
B. Mesocortical
,ESTUDYR
C. Nigrostriatal
D. Tuberoinfundibular
✅Correct Answer: C
Rationale:
The nigrostriatal pathway regulates movement; dopamine blockade here causes EPS.
4. Hyperprolactinemia is caused by dopamine blockade in which dopamine pathway?
A. Mesolimbic
B. Mesocortical
C. Nigrostriatal
D. Tuberoinfundibular
✅Correct Answer: D
Rationale:
Dopamine inhibits prolactin release. Blocking dopamine in the tuberoinfundibular pathway
increases prolactin.
5. Symptoms of schizophrenia are classically divided into which two categories?
A. Cognitive and affective
B. Acute and chronic
C. Positive and negative
D. Primary and secondary
✅Correct Answer: C
6. Which of the following is considered a negative symptom of schizophrenia?
A. Hallucinations
B. Delusions
C. Avolition
D. Hostility
✅Correct Answer: C
Rationale:
Negative symptoms include alogia, anhedonia, avolition, and cognitive deficits.
, ESTUDYR
7. Which of the following represents a positive symptom of schizophrenia?
A. Flat affect
B. Anhedonia
C. Hallucinations
D. Social withdrawal
✅Correct Answer: C
8. Antipsychotic polypharmacy increases the risk of all the following EXCEPT:
A. Extrapyramidal symptoms
B. Metabolic syndrome
C. Sudden cardiac death
D. Improved medication adherence
✅Correct Answer: D
Rationale:
Polypharmacy increases adverse outcomes and mortality, not adherence.
9. Another name for first-generation antipsychotics is:
A. Second-generation antipsychotics
B. Atypical antipsychotics
C. Typical antipsychotics (FGA)
D. Partial agonists
✅Correct Answer: C
10. Another name for second-generation antipsychotics is:
A. Typical antipsychotics
B. Dopamine antagonists
C. Atypical antipsychotics (SGA)
D. High-potency FGAs
✅Correct Answer: C
