NR 546 Week 4 Anxiolytic Assessment: 200
Comprehensive Questions & Answers With
Clinical Rationale for Advanced
Psychopharmacology Exam Preparation
NR 546 Week 4 Anxiolytic Assessment
100 Comprehensive Questions &
☑VERIFIED ANSWERs with Rationale
SECTION A: NEUROBIOLOGICAL
FOUNDATIONS (Questions 1-15)
Question 1:
Which brain structure is primarily
responsible for interpreting stress and fear
signals, initiating the fight-or-flight
response?
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A) Hippocampus
B) Amygdala
C) Prefrontal Cortex
D) Thalamus
☑VERIFIED ANSWER: B) Amygdala
Rationale: The amygdala is the emotional
processing center of the brain and is central
to the fear circuit. It interprets threats and
signals the hypothalamus to activate the
sympathetic nervous system and HPA axis.
The hippocampus is involved in memory
formation, the prefrontal cortex in executive
function and emotional regulation, and the
thalamus in sensory relay.
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Question 2:
The hippocampus is involved in which of the
following functions related to anxiety?
A) Initiating the stress response
B) Modulating amygdala activity
C) Converting short-term to long-term
memory and contextual fear conditioning
D) Releasing cortisol
☑VERIFIED ANSWER: C) Converting short-
term to long-term memory and contextual
fear conditioning
Rationale: The hippocampus converts short-
term to long-term memory and is involved
in contextual fear conditioning. It is
impaired in anxiety disorders. The amygdala
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initiates the stress response (A); the
prefrontal cortex modulates amygdala
activity (B); the adrenal glands release
cortisol (D).
Question 3:
Which neurotransmitter is the PRIMARY
inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central
nervous system?
A) Glutamate
B) Serotonin
C) GABA
D) Norepinephrine
☑VERIFIED ANSWER: C) GABA