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.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. False belief that someone is following. This describes a persecutory delusion, a type of false, fixed belief where a person is convinced they are being watched, followed, or harmed despite no evidence. Delusions are thought disturbances, whereas illusions involve misinterpretations of sensory stimuli.
B. Misinterpretation of real experience. An illusion occurs when a person misperceives an actual external stimulus. For example, seeing a coat hanging in a dark room and mistaking it for a person. Unlike hallucinations, illusions are based on real sensory input that is distorted or misinterpreted.
C. Feeling things that are not there. This describes a tactile hallucination, where a person experiences false sensory perceptions of touch, such as bugs crawling on the skin. Tactile hallucinations are commonly seen in substance withdrawal (e.g., alcohol withdrawal, cocaine intoxication) and psychotic disorders.
D. Hearing voices that are not there. This describes an auditory hallucination, the most common type of hallucination in schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. Unlike illusions, hallucinations occur without any external stimulus and are perceived as real by the affected individual.
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
A. Argumentative. Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is characterized by a pattern of defiant, hostile, and argumentative behavior toward authority figures. Children with ODD frequently argue with adults, refuse to comply with rules, and deliberately provoke others.
B. Resentful. Children with ODD often display persistent resentment and anger, particularly when they feel they have been wronged. They may hold grudges and struggle to forgive perceived slights, leading to ongoing conflicts with parents, teachers, or peers.
C. Aggressive toward animals. Aggression toward animals is not a symptom of ODD but is a key feature of conduct disorder (CD). Children with conduct disorder engage in severe violations of social norms, including cruelty to animals, destruction of property, and physical aggression toward people. ODD, in contrast, involves defiant and disruptive behaviors without serious violations of others' rights.
D. Vindictive. A vindictive attitude is one of the diagnostic criteria for ODD. Children with ODD may seek revenge, retaliate excessively, or intentionally annoy others to provoke a reaction. This behavior is often fueled by feelings of frustration and perceived injustice.
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