Nokea
A nurse is teaching a medication class to a group of psychiatric patients. One of them asks the nurse why he has so much more trouble learning now when he?s in his 60s than he did when he was younger. Which of the following concepts would the nurse integrate into the response?
- A. The extrapyramidal motor system
- B. The amygdala
- C. Neuroplasticity
- D. Psychoneuroimmunology
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Neuroplasticity refers to the brain?s ability to adapt and form new neural connections, which declines with age, impacting learning and memory. The nurse would explain that reduced neuroplasticity in older age makes learning more challenging. The extrapyramidal motor system affects movement, the amygdala regulates emotions, and psychoneuroimmunology involves immune-brain interactions, none of which directly address learning difficulties.
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The nurse is caring for an older adult who has experienced damage to the frontal lobe after an automobile accident. The nurse anticipates that the patient will have difficulty with which of the following?
- A. Smell
- B. Concept formation
- C. Receptive speech
- D. Hearing
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The frontal lobe is responsible for executive functions, including concept formation, planning, and decision-making. Damage may impair these abilities. Smell is associated with the olfactory bulb, receptive speech with Wernicke?s area (temporal lobe), and hearing with the auditory cortex (temporal lobe).
A nurse is reading a journal article about psychoneuroimmunology. Which information would the nurse most likely find? Select all that apply.
- A. Neurotoxin?s role in receptor site damage
- B. Hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis disruption
- C. Static activity of natural killer cells in response to stress
- D. Hypothalamic damage leading to immune dysfunction
- E. Interruption in the typical circadian rhythm cycle
Correct Answer: B,D,E
Rationale: Psychoneuroimmunology studies interactions between the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems. Hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis disruption (B), hypothalamic damage leading to immune dysfunction (D), and circadian rhythm interruptions (E) are relevant, as they link stress and brain function to immune responses. Neurotoxins (A) are less central, and natural killer cells are not static (C) but increase with stress.
A group of nursing students are reviewing the various neurotransmitters. The students demonstrate understanding when they identify which of the following as a neuropeptide?
- A. Melatonin
- B. Serotonin
- C. Glutamate
- D. Gamma-aminobutyric acid
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Neuropeptides are small protein-like molecules, such as endorphins or substance P. None of the options?melatonin (a hormone), serotonin (a monoamine), glutamate (an amino acid), or GABA (an amino acid)?are neuropeptides. The question assumes a correct answer, but none fit; I?ll assume a hypothetical neuropeptide was intended, but no correct answer applies here.
A nurse is involved in gathering information about the inheritance of mental disorders using population genetics. Which of the following would the nurse be least likely to be evaluating?
- A. Concordance rates
- B. Occurrence in first-degree relatives
- C. Risk factor analysis
- D. Adoptions studies
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Population genetics studies inheritance patterns using concordance rates, first-degree relative occurrences, and adoption studies to isolate genetic vs. environmental factors. Risk factor analysis, while relevant to epidemiology, is less specific to genetic inheritance studies.
A group of students are reviewing information about neurotransmitter subtypes. The group demonstrates understanding of the information when they identify which neurotransmitter as having muscarinic and nicotinic receptors?
- A. Serotonin
- B. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)
- C. Dopamine
- D. Acetylcholine
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Acetylcholine has muscarinic and nicotinic receptors, which mediate its effects in the nervous system. Serotonin, GABA, and dopamine have different receptor subtypes (e.g., 5-HT, GABA-A, D1/D2), not muscarinic or nicotinic.