NURS 6630 MIDTERM EXAM (WALDEN) NEWEST 2026/
2027 TEST BANK| NURS6630
PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY MIDTERM EXAM REVIEW
WITH 550 REAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS) ALREADY
GRADED A+ (BRAND NEW!!)
1. The primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the central
nervous system (CNS) is:
A) GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)
B) Glutamate
C) Serotonin
D) Dopamine
Answer: B
Rationale: Glutamate is the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in
the CNS, acting on NMDA, AMPA, and kainate receptors. GABA
1
,(A) is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter. Serotonin (C) and
dopamine (D) are modulatory neurotransmitters involved in mood,
reward, and motor function .
2. The primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the CNS is:
A) Glutamate
B) GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)
C) Norepinephrine
D) Acetylcholine
Answer: B
Rationale: GABA is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter, acting
on GABA-A (ionotropic, chloride influx, hyperpolarization) and
GABA-B (metabotropic) receptors. Dysfunction in GABAergic
transmission is implicated in anxiety disorders, epilepsy, and
insomnia .
2
,3. Where are monoamine neurotransmitters (serotonin,
norepinephrine, dopamine) synthesized and stored?
A) Glial cells
B) Presynaptic vesicles within neurons
C) Postsynaptic dendrites
D) The nucleus accumbens
Answer: B
Rationale: Monoamine neurotransmitters are synthesized in the
presynaptic neuron, packaged into vesicles by VMAT (vesicular
monoamine transporter), and stored until release into the synaptic
cleft. Glial cells (A) support but do not synthesize monoamines .
4. Which enzyme is responsible for breaking down
monoamine neurotransmitters (e.g., serotonin,
norepinephrine, dopamine) in the presynaptic terminal?
A) Acetylcholinesterase (AChE)
3
, B) Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and monoamine
oxidase (MAO)
C) Protein kinase A (PKA)
D) Tyrosine hydroxylase
Answer: B
Rationale: MAO (mitochondrial) and COMT (cytoplasmic)
metabolize monoamines. MAO-A primarily breaks down serotonin,
norepinephrine; MAO-B primarily breaks down dopamine.
Acetylcholinesterase (A) breaks down acetylcholine. Tyrosine
hydroxylase (D) synthesizes dopamine/norepinephrine .
5. The dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia is supported by
the fact that:
A) All effective antipsychotics are dopamine D2 receptor
antagonists
B) Dopamine agonists improve schizophrenia
4
2027 TEST BANK| NURS6630
PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY MIDTERM EXAM REVIEW
WITH 550 REAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS) ALREADY
GRADED A+ (BRAND NEW!!)
1. The primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the central
nervous system (CNS) is:
A) GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)
B) Glutamate
C) Serotonin
D) Dopamine
Answer: B
Rationale: Glutamate is the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in
the CNS, acting on NMDA, AMPA, and kainate receptors. GABA
1
,(A) is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter. Serotonin (C) and
dopamine (D) are modulatory neurotransmitters involved in mood,
reward, and motor function .
2. The primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the CNS is:
A) Glutamate
B) GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)
C) Norepinephrine
D) Acetylcholine
Answer: B
Rationale: GABA is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter, acting
on GABA-A (ionotropic, chloride influx, hyperpolarization) and
GABA-B (metabotropic) receptors. Dysfunction in GABAergic
transmission is implicated in anxiety disorders, epilepsy, and
insomnia .
2
,3. Where are monoamine neurotransmitters (serotonin,
norepinephrine, dopamine) synthesized and stored?
A) Glial cells
B) Presynaptic vesicles within neurons
C) Postsynaptic dendrites
D) The nucleus accumbens
Answer: B
Rationale: Monoamine neurotransmitters are synthesized in the
presynaptic neuron, packaged into vesicles by VMAT (vesicular
monoamine transporter), and stored until release into the synaptic
cleft. Glial cells (A) support but do not synthesize monoamines .
4. Which enzyme is responsible for breaking down
monoamine neurotransmitters (e.g., serotonin,
norepinephrine, dopamine) in the presynaptic terminal?
A) Acetylcholinesterase (AChE)
3
, B) Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and monoamine
oxidase (MAO)
C) Protein kinase A (PKA)
D) Tyrosine hydroxylase
Answer: B
Rationale: MAO (mitochondrial) and COMT (cytoplasmic)
metabolize monoamines. MAO-A primarily breaks down serotonin,
norepinephrine; MAO-B primarily breaks down dopamine.
Acetylcholinesterase (A) breaks down acetylcholine. Tyrosine
hydroxylase (D) synthesizes dopamine/norepinephrine .
5. The dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia is supported by
the fact that:
A) All effective antipsychotics are dopamine D2 receptor
antagonists
B) Dopamine agonists improve schizophrenia
4
