Deck 4: Psychobiologic Bases of Behavior

Question 1

The nurse administers a medication that potentiates the action of GABA. Which finding would be expected?

A) Reduced anxiety
B) Improved memory
C) More organized thinking
D) Fewer sensory perceptual alterations

Answer 1

Reduced anxiety

Question 2

A patient is recovering from surgery to remove a tumor in the cerebellum. Which assessment finding is most attributable to this diagnosis?

A) The patient complains of limited taste and smell.
B) The patient demonstrates poor balance and coordination.
C) The patient has limited ability to learn and poor memory.
D) The patient has poor emotional control and low motivation.

Answer 2

The patient demonstrates poor balance and coordination.

Question 3

A patient has disorganized thinking associated with schizophrenia. Neuroimaging studies will most likely show dysfunction in which part of the brain?

A) Temporal lobe
B) Cerebellum
C) Brainstem
D) Frontal lobe

Answer 3

Frontal lobe

Question 4

Ventricular enlargement noted in brain studies of patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease is most likely attributable to:

A) narrowing of the subarachnoid space.
B) overproduction of cerebrospinal fluid.
C) blockage of cerebrospinal fluid outflow.
D) brain atrophy associated with cellular degeneration.

Question 5

The parent of an adopted infant tells the nurse, "Our baby was abused before the adoption. I read an article online that said this experience causes problems as a child grows up. What we should be watching for?" Select the nurse's best response.

A) "Early trauma sometimes causes learning difficulties, anxiety, and difficulty handling stress later in life."
B) "Early abuse causes the myelin covering of the nerves to overgrow, which leads to high anxiety and mood instability."
C) "Many individuals who experience early trauma and abuse develop symptoms of schizophrenia."
D) "Your child will be normal. Information in online articles is not reliable."

Question 6

A patient who experiences frequent panic attacks asks the nurse, "Why does this happen to me?" The nurse should explain that the problem might relate to a deficit of which brain chemical?

A) GABA
B) Serotonin
C) Dopamine
D) Glutamate

Question 7

Dysfunction in which structure should lead the nurse to consider institution of fall precautions?

A) Wernicke's area
B) Hippocampus
C) Amygdala
D) Cerebellum

Question 8

Although a patient appears to have recovered from a head injury resulting from an auto accident 3 months ago, the family reports changes in the patient's personality and behavior. The nurse should explain that these changes are probably associated with injury to which structure?

A) Pons
B) Parietal lobe
C) Prefrontal area
D) Caudate nucleus

Question 9

A male patient is diagnosed with mitochondrial encephalopathy. The patient's daughter asks, "Since this is a genetic disorder, am I at risk for having it too?" Select the nurse's best response.

A) "Your risk is related to exposure to environmental toxins."
B) "No, this problem is only passed on by the mother."
C) "You must be feeling very worried."
D) "Your risk is not predictable."

Question 10

A patient denies hunger despite ingesting fewer than 400 calories daily. The patient's problem might be associated with dysfunction of which structure?

A) Parietal lobe
B) Hypothalamus
C) Medulla oblongata
D) Reticular activating system

Question 11

The nurse plans discharge teaching for a patient who experienced a stroke involving the hippocampus. The nurse should adapt the teaching plan to account for possible problems with:

A) visual acuity.
B) expressive aphasia.
C) short-term memory.
D) balance and coordination.

Question 12

When assessing a patient, the nurse elicits the Babinski reflex on the left foot. The nurse knows this response can indicate the existence of:

A) an upper motor neuron lesion on the right side.
B) an upper motor neuron lesion on the left side.
C) a lower motor neuron lesion on the right side.
D) a lower motor neuron lesion on the left side.

Question 13

A patient reports an inability to sleep because of too much noise and light, even though the environment is quiet with soft lighting. The nurse knows such reports support dysfunction of which organ?

A) Basal ganglia
B) Pituitary gland
C) Substantia nigra
D) Reticular activating system

Question 14

A patient excitedly tells the nurse, "Look what I made in arts and crafts! I did a good job. I want to make some other things too." The nurse may conclude that which part of the patient's nervous system is responsible for processing this reaction?

A) Brainstem
B) Occipital lobe
C) Limbic system
D) Corpus callosum

Question 15

When a nurse administers an anticholinergic drug, it is important to assess for symptoms associated with inhibition of:

A) spinal nerve function.
B) the central nervous system.
C) the sympathetic nervous system.
D) the parasympathetic nervous system.

Question 16

A patient diagnosed with split-brain syndrome has damage to which structure of the brain?

A) Amygdala
B) Hippocampus
C) Pyramidal tract
D) Corpus callosum

Question 17

A patient who abuses heroin says, "I have willpower to manage my life in other areas, but I feel helpless to control my craving for heroin." The nurse's response should be based on research findings suggesting that addictive behavior is related to changes in:

A) cortisol secretion.
B) the substantia nigra.
C) mitochondrial DNA.
D) the nucleus accumbens.

Question 18

A patient demonstrates visual aphasia. The nurse can project that there is dysfunction in which cerebral lobe?

A) Temporal
B) Parietal
C) Occipital
D) Frontal

Question 19

The patient is tense, hypervigilant, and reports, "My heart is racing." The nurse understands that the primary neurotransmitter associated with these complaints is:

A) serotonin.
B) glutamate.
C) acetylcholine.
D) norepinephrine.

Question 20

The nurse assesses a patient diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. When will tremors be most pronounced?

A) When sleeping
B) When sitting quietly
C) When focusing intently
D) When reaching for something

Question 21

A patient is diagnosed with severe depression. The nurse will prepare a plan to teach the patient about medications that improve brain availability of which neurotransmitter? Select all that apply.

A) Serotonin
B) Dopamine
C) Norepinephrine
D) Acetylcholine
E) Substance P

Question 22

A nurse could anticipate that the treatment plan for a patient experiencing memory difficulties might include medications designed to:

A) inhibit GABA.
B) increase dopamine at receptor sites.
C) decrease dopamine at receptor sites.
D) prevent destruction of acetylcholine.

Question 23

An individual is experiencing problems associated with speech and communication. Which cerebral structures are most likely to be involved in this deficit? Select all that apply.

A) Frontal lobe
B) Parietal lobe
C) Occipital lobe
D) Temporal lobe
E) Basal ganglia