Which dopamine pathway is responsible for negative symptoms of schizophrenia?
Mesolimbic pathway
Nigrostriatal pathway
Tuberoinfundibular pathway
Mesocortical pathway
The Correct Answer is D
A. Mesolimbic pathway is responsible for reward, motivation, and emotion. In schizophrenia, hyperactivity of this pathway leads to positive symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking.
B. Nigrostriatal pathway regulates motor control. Dopamine blockade in this pathway leads to extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) such as tremors, rigidity, and tardive dyskinesia, which are side effects of first-generation antipsychotics (typical antipsychotics).
C. Tuberoinfundibular pathway controls prolactin secretion. Dopamine inhibits prolactin release, so blocking D2 receptors with antipsychotics leads to hyperprolactinemia, causing gynecomastia, galactorrhea, and menstrual irregularities.
D. Mesocortical pathway is responsible for cognition, motivation, and emotional regulation. In schizophrenia, hypoactivity of this pathway is linked to negative symptoms such as apathy, anhedonia, social withdrawal, and cognitive impairment. Antipsychotics that block dopamine further worsen these symptoms, making negative symptoms more difficult to treat.
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Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
A. Depressed type. Schizoaffective disorder, depressive type, involves schizophrenia symptoms (delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking) along with major depressive episodes. There is no history of mania or hypomania, distinguishing it from the bipolar type.
B. Unspecified type. Schizoaffective disorder, unspecified type, is used when the clinician determines that the patient meets criteria for schizoaffective disorder but does not clearly fit into the bipolar or depressive subtypes.
C. Anxiety type. There is no "anxiety type" of schizoaffective disorder. While individuals with schizoaffective disorder may experience anxiety, it is not a defining feature. Anxiety disorders are separate conditions and do not define a subtype of schizoaffective disorder.
D. Bipolar type. Schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type, is diagnosed when schizophrenia symptoms occur alongside manic or mixed episodes, with or without depressive episodes. This distinguishes it from the depressive type, which lacks manic symptoms.
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
A. Gabapentin is an anticonvulsant and neuropathic pain medication that has no role in treating enuresis. It works by modulating calcium channels and is primarily used for seizures, neuropathic pain, and restless leg syndrome.
B. Laxatives. While constipation can contribute to enuresis by exerting pressure on the bladder, laxatives do not directly treat bedwetting. Instead, addressing constipation may help reduce nocturnal enuresis in some cases.
C. Desmopressin (DDAVP) is the first-line pharmacologic treatment for enuresis. It is a synthetic analog of antidiuretic hormone (ADH, vasopressin) that reduces night-time urine production, making it effective for nocturnal enuresis (bedwetting) in children.
D. SSRIs. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are used for depression, anxiety, and OCD but have no primary role in enuresis treatment. In some cases, they may actually cause urinary retention or incontinence as a side effect rather than improving enuresis.
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