PHM 431 Exam 3 UPDATED QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS
You have trained rats to press a bar in a cage in order to receive food pellets. Prior to conducting your
experiment, the rats are food-deprived so that they are motivated to perform the bar pressing task. One
group of hungry rats presses the bar very frequently while a second group of hungry rats does not
press the bar frequently. One explanation for these data is that the second group of rats: - CORRECT
ANSWER Has been treated with an NPY receptor antagonist (NPY stimulates feeding
behaviors; blocking the effects of NPY with an antibody will reduce feeding)
Amphetamines are strong appetite suppressant drugs. The brain area that mediates this action of
amphetamine is: - CORRECT ANSWER Hypothalamus (contains neurons that control appetite
and feeding)
Local injection of what drug into the ventral tegmental area of a lab rat would reduce the rewarding
effects of cocaine? - CORRECT ANSWER CNQX, an AMPA glutamate receptor antagonist (or
a D1 dopamine receptor antagonist) (AMPA receptors on VTA dopamine neurons mediate a positive
feedback loop on dopamine release)
What enzyme found in the liver is responsible for metabolizing any dietary monoamines? -
CORRECT ANSWER Catechol-O-methyl-transferase (COMT) (attaches a methyl group to one
of the OH groups on the catechol ring)
Cocaine is an unusual drug because lab rats develop long lasting sensitization to the psychostimulant
effects of cocaine after repeated cocaine treatments. What treatment would block this behavioral
sensitization? - CORRECT ANSWER Knockout of the gene encoding DeltaFosB, Protein
kinase A, BDNF, adenylate cyclase, or tyrosine hydroxylase
Detection of benzoylecognine in a urine sample would indicate that the person had recently used what
drug? - CORRECT ANSWER Cocaine (benzoylecognine is a major metabolite of cocaine)
Figure shows results of a conditioned place preference study of an unknown drug and the sensitivity
of the rewarding effects of that drug to dopamine receptor antagonists. The drug's effects are negated
by both D1 and D2 antagonists. Which drug is most likely Drug X? - CORRECT
ANSWER Amphetamine (blocking either D1 or D2 receptors turns amphetamine into an
aversive rather than rewarding drug)
, Figure shows results of positron emission tomography experiment done in drug inexperienced
subjects. These subjects were administered drugs and 11C-raclopride binding in the nucleus
accumbens was used as indirect measure of dopamine release in response to drug treatment. What
drug would you expect to produce a large decrease in 11C-raclopride binding? - CORRECT
ANSWER Amphetamine, Cocaine, and Methylphenidate (All of these drugs will increase
dopamine in the nucleus accumbens synapse and dopamine displaces 11C-raclopride from the
dopamine receptor)
A major consequence of cocaine or amphetamine overdose is cardiac arrhythmia. Cocaine is more
lethal in this regard because: - CORRECT ANSWER Cocaine blocks sodium channels in
cardiac muscle
What protein is a target for methamphetamine? - CORRECT ANSWER Vesicular monoamine
transporter
How does methylphenidate differ in its mechanism of action compared to amphetamine and
methamphetamine? - CORRECT ANSWER Not transported by DAT or NET
Methamphetamine produces neurotoxicity by: - CORRECT ANSWER Stimulating production
of oxygen radicals
Figure shows the behavioral effects of daily cocaine treatments of wild type mice and mice with a
gene KO. The gene KO produces a motor activity response to cocaine that is equal to that of saline.
The gene encoding what protein is most likely to have been KO'd in this study? - CORRECT
ANSWER Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)
Most monoamines in our diet are detoxified or inactivated by several protective mechanisms that
include: - CORRECT ANSWER High expression of liver monoamine oxidase
Which drug is a substrate for the vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT)? - CORRECT
ANSWER Methamphetamine
A potential negative health consequence of long-term methamphetamine use is: - CORRECT
ANSWER Loss of dopamine neurons in the VTA and the substantia nigra
AND CORRECT ANSWERS
You have trained rats to press a bar in a cage in order to receive food pellets. Prior to conducting your
experiment, the rats are food-deprived so that they are motivated to perform the bar pressing task. One
group of hungry rats presses the bar very frequently while a second group of hungry rats does not
press the bar frequently. One explanation for these data is that the second group of rats: - CORRECT
ANSWER Has been treated with an NPY receptor antagonist (NPY stimulates feeding
behaviors; blocking the effects of NPY with an antibody will reduce feeding)
Amphetamines are strong appetite suppressant drugs. The brain area that mediates this action of
amphetamine is: - CORRECT ANSWER Hypothalamus (contains neurons that control appetite
and feeding)
Local injection of what drug into the ventral tegmental area of a lab rat would reduce the rewarding
effects of cocaine? - CORRECT ANSWER CNQX, an AMPA glutamate receptor antagonist (or
a D1 dopamine receptor antagonist) (AMPA receptors on VTA dopamine neurons mediate a positive
feedback loop on dopamine release)
What enzyme found in the liver is responsible for metabolizing any dietary monoamines? -
CORRECT ANSWER Catechol-O-methyl-transferase (COMT) (attaches a methyl group to one
of the OH groups on the catechol ring)
Cocaine is an unusual drug because lab rats develop long lasting sensitization to the psychostimulant
effects of cocaine after repeated cocaine treatments. What treatment would block this behavioral
sensitization? - CORRECT ANSWER Knockout of the gene encoding DeltaFosB, Protein
kinase A, BDNF, adenylate cyclase, or tyrosine hydroxylase
Detection of benzoylecognine in a urine sample would indicate that the person had recently used what
drug? - CORRECT ANSWER Cocaine (benzoylecognine is a major metabolite of cocaine)
Figure shows results of a conditioned place preference study of an unknown drug and the sensitivity
of the rewarding effects of that drug to dopamine receptor antagonists. The drug's effects are negated
by both D1 and D2 antagonists. Which drug is most likely Drug X? - CORRECT
ANSWER Amphetamine (blocking either D1 or D2 receptors turns amphetamine into an
aversive rather than rewarding drug)
, Figure shows results of positron emission tomography experiment done in drug inexperienced
subjects. These subjects were administered drugs and 11C-raclopride binding in the nucleus
accumbens was used as indirect measure of dopamine release in response to drug treatment. What
drug would you expect to produce a large decrease in 11C-raclopride binding? - CORRECT
ANSWER Amphetamine, Cocaine, and Methylphenidate (All of these drugs will increase
dopamine in the nucleus accumbens synapse and dopamine displaces 11C-raclopride from the
dopamine receptor)
A major consequence of cocaine or amphetamine overdose is cardiac arrhythmia. Cocaine is more
lethal in this regard because: - CORRECT ANSWER Cocaine blocks sodium channels in
cardiac muscle
What protein is a target for methamphetamine? - CORRECT ANSWER Vesicular monoamine
transporter
How does methylphenidate differ in its mechanism of action compared to amphetamine and
methamphetamine? - CORRECT ANSWER Not transported by DAT or NET
Methamphetamine produces neurotoxicity by: - CORRECT ANSWER Stimulating production
of oxygen radicals
Figure shows the behavioral effects of daily cocaine treatments of wild type mice and mice with a
gene KO. The gene KO produces a motor activity response to cocaine that is equal to that of saline.
The gene encoding what protein is most likely to have been KO'd in this study? - CORRECT
ANSWER Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)
Most monoamines in our diet are detoxified or inactivated by several protective mechanisms that
include: - CORRECT ANSWER High expression of liver monoamine oxidase
Which drug is a substrate for the vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT)? - CORRECT
ANSWER Methamphetamine
A potential negative health consequence of long-term methamphetamine use is: - CORRECT
ANSWER Loss of dopamine neurons in the VTA and the substantia nigra
