Walden University NURS 6630 Midterm Exam Practice Test Psychopharmacologic

Walden University NURS 6630 Midterm Exam Practice Test
Psychopharmacologic

Walden University NURS 6630 Midterm Exam Practice Test

Psychopharmacologic Approaches to Treatment of Psychopathology

180 Practice Questions with Answers and Rationales

SECTION 1: NEUROBIOLOGY & NEUROTRANSMISSION (Questions 1-25)

Question 1

During gene expression, what must occur prior to a gene being expressed?



A) The DNA molecule must unwind completely

B) A transcription factor must bind to the regulatory region within the cell's
nucleus

C) The mRNA must be translated into protein

D) The cell must divide



Correct Answer: B



Rationale: Before a gene can be expressed, a transcription factor must bind to the
regulatory region within the cell's nucleus. This initiates transcription, where DNA
is converted to mRNA, which is then translated into protein .

,Question 2

Which neurotransmitter is considered the major excitatory neurotransmitter in
the brain?



A) Glycine

B) GABA

C) Glutamate

D) Serotonin



Correct Answer: C



Rationale: Glutamate is the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain,
involved in most aspects of normal brain function including cognition, memory,
and learning. GABA is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter .



Question 3

What is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain?



A) Glutamate

,B) GABA (Gamma-aminobutyric acid)

C) Dopamine

D) Norepinephrine



Correct Answer: B



Rationale: GABA is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, reducing
neuronal excitability throughout the nervous system. It is the target of
benzodiazepines and barbiturates .



Question 4

Serotonin regulates which of the following functions?



A) Motor control only

B) Mood, emotion, feeding, and reproductive behavior

C) Fight or flight response

D) Memory and learning only



Correct Answer: B

, Rationale: Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) regulates mood, emotion, feeding,
and reproductive behavior. It is a monoamine neurotransmitter that plays a
crucial role in various psychiatric conditions .



Question 5

Dopamine is primarily associated with which pathway that mediates the positive
symptoms of schizophrenia?



A) Mesocortical pathway

B) Nigrostriatal pathway

C) Mesolimbic pathway

D) Tuberoinfundibular pathway



Correct Answer: C



Rationale: Hyperactivity in the mesolimbic dopamine pathway mediates the
positive symptoms of schizophrenia, such as hallucinations and delusions. This
pathway projects from the ventral tegmental area to the nucleus accumbens .



Question 6