WGU D116 Advanced Pharmacology Objective
Assessment Actual Exam Questions and
Answers (2026/2027) | Updated Review | A+
Verified
• Neuropharmacology - ✓✓Studies how drugs influence the nervous system to
modify behavior, cognition, and physiological function.
• Molecular Neuropharmacology - ✓✓Interactions at receptor and signaling level.
• Behavioral Neuropharmacology - ✓✓How drugs affect behavior and mental
states.
• Acetylcholine (ACh) - ✓✓Major neurotransmitter involved in memory, attention,
and autonomic regulation.
• Dopamine (DA) - ✓✓Major neurotransmitter involved in reward, motivation, and
motor control.
• Serotonin (5-HT) - ✓✓Major neurotransmitter involved in mood, sleep, pain, and
gastrointestinal function.
• Norepinephrine (NE) - ✓✓Major neurotransmitter involved in arousal, stress,
attention, and blood pressure.
• GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) - ✓✓Major neurotransmitter providing inhibitory
tone and seizure control.
,• Glutamate - ✓✓Major neurotransmitter involved in learning, memory, and
excitotoxicity.
• Cholinergic Drugs - ✓✓Drugs that affect acetylcholine receptors, including
agonists, anticholinesterases, and anticholinergics.
• Dopaminergic Agents - ✓✓Drugs that target dopamine pathways, including
agonists, reuptake inhibitors, and antagonists.
• Serotonergic Agents - ✓✓Drugs that affect serotonin levels, including SSRIs,
SNRIs, and various agonists and antagonists.
• GABAergic Agents - ✓✓Drugs that enhance GABA activity, including GABA-A
agonists and GABA analogs.
• Glutamatergic Modulators - ✓✓Drugs that modulate glutamate activity, including
NMDA antagonists and AMPA modulators.
• Parkinson's Disease - ✓✓Characterized by decreased dopamine in the substantia
nigra, treated with levodopa and dopamine agonists.
• Alzheimer's Disease - ✓✓Characterized by decreased acetylcholine and amyloid
& tau accumulation, treated with cholinesterase inhibitors.
• Epilepsy - ✓✓Characterized by excess neuronal firing, treated with GABA
enhancers and sodium channel blockers.
,• Depression - ✓✓Characterized by decreased monoamines (5-HT, NE, DA),
treated with SSRIs and SNRIs.
• Anxiety - ✓✓Characterized by a hyperactive limbic system, treated with SSRIs
and benzodiazepines.
• Schizophrenia - ✓✓Characterized by increased dopamine in the mesolimbic
pathway, treated with D2 antagonists.
• Migraine - ✓✓Characterized by vascular and serotonin dysregulation, treated
with triptans and beta blockers.
• Multiple Sclerosis - ✓✓Characterized by autoimmune demyelination, treated
with immunomodulators and steroids.
• Antipsychotics - ✓✓Watch for extrapyramidal symptoms, QT prolongation, and
increased prolactin.
• SSRIs/SNRIs - ✓✓Watch for sexual dysfunction and serotonin syndrome.
• MAOIs - ✓✓Watch for hypertensive crisis when consuming tyramine foods.
• Anticholinergics - ✓✓Watch for dry mouth, urinary retention, and confusion,
especially in the elderly.
• Levodopa - ✓✓Watch for dyskinesias and hallucinations.
, • Benzodiazepines - ✓✓Watch for dependence, withdrawal, and sedation.
• BALSA - ✓✓Mnemonic for Parkinson's: Bromocriptine, Amantadine, Levodopa,
Selegiline, Antimuscarinics
• BAD TRIP - ✓✓Mnemonic for serotonin syndrome: Benzos, Agitation,
Diaphoresis, Tachycardia, Reflexes ↑, Incoordination, Pyrexia
• Direct Muscarinic Agonists - ✓✓Drugs that bind directly to muscarinic receptors
and activate them.
• Pilocarpine - ✓✓Used for glaucoma and xerostomia (dry mouth).
• Bethanechol - ✓✓Used for urinary retention and postoperative ileus.
• Carbachol - ✓✓Used for glaucoma (rarely used).
• Methacholine - ✓✓Used as a diagnostic test for bronchial hyperreactivity.
• Cevimeline - ✓✓Used for xerostomia in Sjögren's syndrome.
• Muscarine - ✓✓Found in some poisonous mushrooms (not used clinically).
Assessment Actual Exam Questions and
Answers (2026/2027) | Updated Review | A+
Verified
• Neuropharmacology - ✓✓Studies how drugs influence the nervous system to
modify behavior, cognition, and physiological function.
• Molecular Neuropharmacology - ✓✓Interactions at receptor and signaling level.
• Behavioral Neuropharmacology - ✓✓How drugs affect behavior and mental
states.
• Acetylcholine (ACh) - ✓✓Major neurotransmitter involved in memory, attention,
and autonomic regulation.
• Dopamine (DA) - ✓✓Major neurotransmitter involved in reward, motivation, and
motor control.
• Serotonin (5-HT) - ✓✓Major neurotransmitter involved in mood, sleep, pain, and
gastrointestinal function.
• Norepinephrine (NE) - ✓✓Major neurotransmitter involved in arousal, stress,
attention, and blood pressure.
• GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) - ✓✓Major neurotransmitter providing inhibitory
tone and seizure control.
,• Glutamate - ✓✓Major neurotransmitter involved in learning, memory, and
excitotoxicity.
• Cholinergic Drugs - ✓✓Drugs that affect acetylcholine receptors, including
agonists, anticholinesterases, and anticholinergics.
• Dopaminergic Agents - ✓✓Drugs that target dopamine pathways, including
agonists, reuptake inhibitors, and antagonists.
• Serotonergic Agents - ✓✓Drugs that affect serotonin levels, including SSRIs,
SNRIs, and various agonists and antagonists.
• GABAergic Agents - ✓✓Drugs that enhance GABA activity, including GABA-A
agonists and GABA analogs.
• Glutamatergic Modulators - ✓✓Drugs that modulate glutamate activity, including
NMDA antagonists and AMPA modulators.
• Parkinson's Disease - ✓✓Characterized by decreased dopamine in the substantia
nigra, treated with levodopa and dopamine agonists.
• Alzheimer's Disease - ✓✓Characterized by decreased acetylcholine and amyloid
& tau accumulation, treated with cholinesterase inhibitors.
• Epilepsy - ✓✓Characterized by excess neuronal firing, treated with GABA
enhancers and sodium channel blockers.
,• Depression - ✓✓Characterized by decreased monoamines (5-HT, NE, DA),
treated with SSRIs and SNRIs.
• Anxiety - ✓✓Characterized by a hyperactive limbic system, treated with SSRIs
and benzodiazepines.
• Schizophrenia - ✓✓Characterized by increased dopamine in the mesolimbic
pathway, treated with D2 antagonists.
• Migraine - ✓✓Characterized by vascular and serotonin dysregulation, treated
with triptans and beta blockers.
• Multiple Sclerosis - ✓✓Characterized by autoimmune demyelination, treated
with immunomodulators and steroids.
• Antipsychotics - ✓✓Watch for extrapyramidal symptoms, QT prolongation, and
increased prolactin.
• SSRIs/SNRIs - ✓✓Watch for sexual dysfunction and serotonin syndrome.
• MAOIs - ✓✓Watch for hypertensive crisis when consuming tyramine foods.
• Anticholinergics - ✓✓Watch for dry mouth, urinary retention, and confusion,
especially in the elderly.
• Levodopa - ✓✓Watch for dyskinesias and hallucinations.
, • Benzodiazepines - ✓✓Watch for dependence, withdrawal, and sedation.
• BALSA - ✓✓Mnemonic for Parkinson's: Bromocriptine, Amantadine, Levodopa,
Selegiline, Antimuscarinics
• BAD TRIP - ✓✓Mnemonic for serotonin syndrome: Benzos, Agitation,
Diaphoresis, Tachycardia, Reflexes ↑, Incoordination, Pyrexia
• Direct Muscarinic Agonists - ✓✓Drugs that bind directly to muscarinic receptors
and activate them.
• Pilocarpine - ✓✓Used for glaucoma and xerostomia (dry mouth).
• Bethanechol - ✓✓Used for urinary retention and postoperative ileus.
• Carbachol - ✓✓Used for glaucoma (rarely used).
• Methacholine - ✓✓Used as a diagnostic test for bronchial hyperreactivity.
• Cevimeline - ✓✓Used for xerostomia in Sjögren's syndrome.
• Muscarine - ✓✓Found in some poisonous mushrooms (not used clinically).
