ABA Pain Medicine Certification
Examination Practice Questions And
Correct Answers (Verified Answers) Plus
Rationales 2026 Q&A | Instant
Download Pdf
1. Which structure is primarily responsible for transmitting nociceptive
signals from the periphery to the spinal cord?
A. Dorsal horn interneurons
B. Ventral root motor fibers
C. Primary afferent nociceptors
D. Sympathetic efferent fibers
Correct Answer: Primary afferent nociceptors
Primary afferent nociceptors detect noxious stimuli and transmit pain
signals from peripheral tissues to the dorsal horn of the spinal cord.
, 2. Which neurotransmitter is most associated with chronic pain
sensitization in the dorsal horn?
A. Acetylcholine
B. Dopamine
C. Substance P
D. GABA
Correct Answer: Substance P
Substance P contributes to central sensitization by enhancing excitatory
transmission in the dorsal horn.
3. Wind-up phenomenon in pain physiology refers to:
A. Peripheral nerve regeneration
B. Decreased pain perception over time
C. Progressive increase in dorsal horn neuron firing
D. Activation of descending inhibitory pathways
Correct Answer: Progressive increase in dorsal horn neuron firing
Wind-up is caused by repetitive C-fiber stimulation leading to increasing
spinal neuron excitability.
4. Which pain type is best described as burning, tingling, or electric-like?
A. Nociceptive pain
B. Visceral pain
, C. Psychogenic pain
D. Neuropathic pain
Correct Answer: Neuropathic pain
Neuropathic pain results from nerve injury and is classically described as
burning or electric sensations.
5. Which receptor is the primary target of opioid analgesics?
A. NMDA receptor
B. Alpha-2 receptor
C. Mu-opioid receptor
D. GABA-B receptor
Correct Answer: Mu-opioid receptor
Opioids exert analgesia mainly through mu-opioid receptor activation in
the central nervous system.
6. Which medication is most effective for trigeminal neuralgia?
A. Amitriptyline
B. Gabapentin
C. Carbamazepine
D. Duloxetine
, Correct Answer: Carbamazepine
Carbamazepine is first-line therapy for trigeminal neuralgia due to its
sodium channel–blocking effects.
7. The mechanism of action of gabapentinoids involves:
A. Sodium channel blockade
B. NMDA antagonism
C. Calcium channel modulation
D. Opioid receptor activation
Correct Answer: Calcium channel modulation
Gabapentinoids bind to the alpha-2-delta subunit of voltage-gated calcium
channels, reducing excitatory neurotransmitter release.
8. Which pain assessment tool is specifically validated for neuropathic
pain?
A. Visual Analog Scale
B. Numeric Rating Scale
C. DN4 questionnaire
D. Wong-Baker Faces Scale
Correct Answer: DN4 questionnaire
The DN4 questionnaire helps differentiate neuropathic from nociceptive
pain.
Examination Practice Questions And
Correct Answers (Verified Answers) Plus
Rationales 2026 Q&A | Instant
Download Pdf
1. Which structure is primarily responsible for transmitting nociceptive
signals from the periphery to the spinal cord?
A. Dorsal horn interneurons
B. Ventral root motor fibers
C. Primary afferent nociceptors
D. Sympathetic efferent fibers
Correct Answer: Primary afferent nociceptors
Primary afferent nociceptors detect noxious stimuli and transmit pain
signals from peripheral tissues to the dorsal horn of the spinal cord.
, 2. Which neurotransmitter is most associated with chronic pain
sensitization in the dorsal horn?
A. Acetylcholine
B. Dopamine
C. Substance P
D. GABA
Correct Answer: Substance P
Substance P contributes to central sensitization by enhancing excitatory
transmission in the dorsal horn.
3. Wind-up phenomenon in pain physiology refers to:
A. Peripheral nerve regeneration
B. Decreased pain perception over time
C. Progressive increase in dorsal horn neuron firing
D. Activation of descending inhibitory pathways
Correct Answer: Progressive increase in dorsal horn neuron firing
Wind-up is caused by repetitive C-fiber stimulation leading to increasing
spinal neuron excitability.
4. Which pain type is best described as burning, tingling, or electric-like?
A. Nociceptive pain
B. Visceral pain
, C. Psychogenic pain
D. Neuropathic pain
Correct Answer: Neuropathic pain
Neuropathic pain results from nerve injury and is classically described as
burning or electric sensations.
5. Which receptor is the primary target of opioid analgesics?
A. NMDA receptor
B. Alpha-2 receptor
C. Mu-opioid receptor
D. GABA-B receptor
Correct Answer: Mu-opioid receptor
Opioids exert analgesia mainly through mu-opioid receptor activation in
the central nervous system.
6. Which medication is most effective for trigeminal neuralgia?
A. Amitriptyline
B. Gabapentin
C. Carbamazepine
D. Duloxetine
, Correct Answer: Carbamazepine
Carbamazepine is first-line therapy for trigeminal neuralgia due to its
sodium channel–blocking effects.
7. The mechanism of action of gabapentinoids involves:
A. Sodium channel blockade
B. NMDA antagonism
C. Calcium channel modulation
D. Opioid receptor activation
Correct Answer: Calcium channel modulation
Gabapentinoids bind to the alpha-2-delta subunit of voltage-gated calcium
channels, reducing excitatory neurotransmitter release.
8. Which pain assessment tool is specifically validated for neuropathic
pain?
A. Visual Analog Scale
B. Numeric Rating Scale
C. DN4 questionnaire
D. Wong-Baker Faces Scale
Correct Answer: DN4 questionnaire
The DN4 questionnaire helps differentiate neuropathic from nociceptive
pain.
