lOMoAR cPSD| 61371432
NUR 256 Mental Health Final Exam Practice Questions | NCLEX
Style Questions and detailed Answers with complete Solutions
| A+ Graded | 2026 Updates | 100% correct
1. A decrease in dopamine is associated with which condition?
A. Schizophrenia
B. Depression
C. Mania
D. ADHD
Answer: B – Depression
Rationale: Dopamine regulates motivation, reward, and concentration. Low levels impair mood
and drive, which characterizes depression. Excess dopamine would more likely contribute to
schizophrenia or mania.
2. Increased dopamine is most commonly linked with which condition?
A. Alzheimer’s
B. Depression
C. Schizophrenia
D. PTSD
Answer: C – Schizophrenia
Rationale: Elevated dopamine activity, especially in the mesolimbic pathway, produces
hallucinations and delusions. Depression is associated with low dopamine.
3. Decreased norepinephrine is associated with:
A. Anxiety
B. Depression
C. Dementia
D. OCD
, lOMoAR cPSD| 61371432
Answer: B – Depression
Rationale: Norepinephrine supports alertness, focus, and energy. Low levels cause fatigue and
slowed cognition, common in depressive disorders.
4. Increased norepinephrine may result in:
A. Sedation
B. Heightened anxiety and mania
C. Weight loss
D. Memory loss
Answer: B
Rationale: Elevated norepinephrine stimulates fight-or-flight activation, increasing arousal and
agitation in mania and anxiety disorders.
5. Low GABA levels are associated with:
A. Reduced appetite
B. Anxiety disorders
C. Hearing disturbances
D. Hypersexual behavior
Answer: B
Rationale: GABA is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter. Low levels reduce neural calming →
anxiety, restlessness, and panic vulnerability.
6. Increased GABA produces:
A. Hyperactivity
B. Reduced anxiety and relaxation
C. Delusions
D. Hallucinations
Answer: B
Rationale: GABA slows neural firing → anxiolytic, sedative effect. Benzodiazepines enhance
GABA.
, lOMoAR cPSD| 61371432
7. Chronic elevation of glutamate may cause:
A. Parkinson’s
B. Neurotoxicity in Alzheimer’s disease
C. Increased energy
D. Reduced memory recall
Answer: B
Rationale: Glutamate is excitatory. Excess becomes neurotoxic, contributing to neuronal death
as seen in Alzheimer’s disease.
8. Parasympathetic “rest and digest” is mediated by:
A. Dopamine
B. Serotonin
C. Acetylcholine
D. Epinephrine
Answer: C
Rationale: Acetylcholine slows heart rate, stimulates digestion, improves sleep quality —
opposite of stress response.
9. Serotonin regulates:
A. Vision only
B. Sleep, mood, pain, appetite, libido
C. Reflexes only
D. Motor development only
Answer: B
Rationale: Serotonin maintains emotional stability and circadian rhythm. Low levels →
depression/anxiety.
10. The neurotransmitter responsible for fight-or-flight is:
A. GABA
B. Norepinephrine
C. Glycine
, lOMoAR cPSD| 61371432
D. Acetylcholine
Answer: B
Rationale: Norepinephrine increases HR, BP, alertness → stress reactivity.
11. Medications that mimic neurotransmitter effects are:
A. Antagonists
B. Agonists
C. Reuptake blockers
D. Enzyme inhibitors
Answer: B — Agonists
Rationale: Agonists activate receptors like a natural neurotransmitter.
12. Benzodiazepines enhance which neurotransmitter?
A. Serotonin
B. GABA
C. Glutamate
D. Dopamine
Answer: B – GABA
Rationale: Benzos open GABA chloride channels → sedation, anxiolysis, anti-seizure.
13. Buspirone primarily affects:
A. Dopamine receptors
B. Serotonin (5HT1A) receptors
C. GABA B receptors
D. Acetylcholine levels
Answer: B
Rationale: Buspirone is a non-sedating anxiolytic with no dependence risk. Takes 2–6 weeks for
effect.
14. SSRIs are first-line for anxiety because:
A. They act within 24 hrs
NUR 256 Mental Health Final Exam Practice Questions | NCLEX
Style Questions and detailed Answers with complete Solutions
| A+ Graded | 2026 Updates | 100% correct
1. A decrease in dopamine is associated with which condition?
A. Schizophrenia
B. Depression
C. Mania
D. ADHD
Answer: B – Depression
Rationale: Dopamine regulates motivation, reward, and concentration. Low levels impair mood
and drive, which characterizes depression. Excess dopamine would more likely contribute to
schizophrenia or mania.
2. Increased dopamine is most commonly linked with which condition?
A. Alzheimer’s
B. Depression
C. Schizophrenia
D. PTSD
Answer: C – Schizophrenia
Rationale: Elevated dopamine activity, especially in the mesolimbic pathway, produces
hallucinations and delusions. Depression is associated with low dopamine.
3. Decreased norepinephrine is associated with:
A. Anxiety
B. Depression
C. Dementia
D. OCD
, lOMoAR cPSD| 61371432
Answer: B – Depression
Rationale: Norepinephrine supports alertness, focus, and energy. Low levels cause fatigue and
slowed cognition, common in depressive disorders.
4. Increased norepinephrine may result in:
A. Sedation
B. Heightened anxiety and mania
C. Weight loss
D. Memory loss
Answer: B
Rationale: Elevated norepinephrine stimulates fight-or-flight activation, increasing arousal and
agitation in mania and anxiety disorders.
5. Low GABA levels are associated with:
A. Reduced appetite
B. Anxiety disorders
C. Hearing disturbances
D. Hypersexual behavior
Answer: B
Rationale: GABA is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter. Low levels reduce neural calming →
anxiety, restlessness, and panic vulnerability.
6. Increased GABA produces:
A. Hyperactivity
B. Reduced anxiety and relaxation
C. Delusions
D. Hallucinations
Answer: B
Rationale: GABA slows neural firing → anxiolytic, sedative effect. Benzodiazepines enhance
GABA.
, lOMoAR cPSD| 61371432
7. Chronic elevation of glutamate may cause:
A. Parkinson’s
B. Neurotoxicity in Alzheimer’s disease
C. Increased energy
D. Reduced memory recall
Answer: B
Rationale: Glutamate is excitatory. Excess becomes neurotoxic, contributing to neuronal death
as seen in Alzheimer’s disease.
8. Parasympathetic “rest and digest” is mediated by:
A. Dopamine
B. Serotonin
C. Acetylcholine
D. Epinephrine
Answer: C
Rationale: Acetylcholine slows heart rate, stimulates digestion, improves sleep quality —
opposite of stress response.
9. Serotonin regulates:
A. Vision only
B. Sleep, mood, pain, appetite, libido
C. Reflexes only
D. Motor development only
Answer: B
Rationale: Serotonin maintains emotional stability and circadian rhythm. Low levels →
depression/anxiety.
10. The neurotransmitter responsible for fight-or-flight is:
A. GABA
B. Norepinephrine
C. Glycine
, lOMoAR cPSD| 61371432
D. Acetylcholine
Answer: B
Rationale: Norepinephrine increases HR, BP, alertness → stress reactivity.
11. Medications that mimic neurotransmitter effects are:
A. Antagonists
B. Agonists
C. Reuptake blockers
D. Enzyme inhibitors
Answer: B — Agonists
Rationale: Agonists activate receptors like a natural neurotransmitter.
12. Benzodiazepines enhance which neurotransmitter?
A. Serotonin
B. GABA
C. Glutamate
D. Dopamine
Answer: B – GABA
Rationale: Benzos open GABA chloride channels → sedation, anxiolysis, anti-seizure.
13. Buspirone primarily affects:
A. Dopamine receptors
B. Serotonin (5HT1A) receptors
C. GABA B receptors
D. Acetylcholine levels
Answer: B
Rationale: Buspirone is a non-sedating anxiolytic with no dependence risk. Takes 2–6 weeks for
effect.
14. SSRIs are first-line for anxiety because:
A. They act within 24 hrs
