Sample Test Questions

Psychopharmacology

Chapter 5 Dependence, Addiction, and the Self-administration of Drugs 1. The American Association for the Care of Inebriates in 1870 claimed that a. alcohol abuse was a moral weakness b. alcohol abusers should be handled by the church and the legal system c. alcoholism was a disease d. alcohol abuse was a result to a toxin in the blood Which one of the following is a disadvantage of doing an experiment on the self-administration of drugs by people in a hospital ward setting? a. it is difficult to keep track of the exact dose of each drug that each person administers to him- or herself b. most subjects quit the experiment before it is finished c. it is unethical to conduct such an experiment with anyone d. only people with a history of drug use can be used as subjects Which one of the following classes of drugs, in general, do lab animals NOT find reinforcing, but people do? a. opiates, like heroin b. ethanol (alcohol) c. hallucinogens, like LSD d. psychomotor stimulants, like cocaine The rate at which animals self-administer different types of drugs is not a good way to measure whether some drugs are better reinforcers of behavior than other drugs because a. some drugs may have effects that interfere with the ability of the animals to make the response b. it has been shown that the rate of responding is not related in any way to the reinforcing effects of any stimulus c. all drugs are so reinforcing that animals respond at the maximum rate possible to each drug d. no such experiments have never been done The Breaking Point is the a. dose of a drug that is no longer reinforcing b. point of food deprivation at which an animal will choose food over a given dose of a drug c. dose of a drug that will completely suppress responding on a progressive ratio schedule d. the number of responses required to receive a positively reinforcing drug that is so large on a progressive ratio schedule of reinforcement that an animal stops responding The abuse potential of a drug refers to its ability a. he ability of a drug to cause a person to use other, similar-acting drugs b. the ability of a drug to positively, but not negatively, reinforce behavior c. the ability of a drug to negatively, but not positively, reinforce behavior d. the ability of a drug to either positively or negatively reinforce behavior Researchers find that some situations increase the incentive value (that is, reinforcing effects) of certain drugs (that is, people preferconsistently choose to receive themover a placebo). For which one of the following situations is this TRUE? a. overweight people prefer amphetamine, which can suppress appetite, to a placebo b. depressed people prefer amphetamine, which can improve mood, to a placebo c. highly anxious people prefer diazepam (Valium), which can reduce anxiety, to a placebo d. people who know that they will experience a painful stimulus prefer fentanyl, an analgesic, to a placebo Place conditioning and second-order, operant-conditioning schedules are experimental techniques for studying a. physical dependence b. conditioned reinforcements (incentives) c. drug substitution d. stress

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The reinforcement system in the brain consists of a. the hippocampus, amygdada, and cortex b. the basal ganglia thalamus, and cortex c. the nucleus accumbens (NAC) and the ventral tegmental area (VTA) d. reticular activating system (RAS), thalamus, and cortex The learning and memory system in the brain consists of a. the hippocampus, amygdada, and cortex b. the basal ganglia thalamus, and cortex c. the nucleus accumbens (NAC) and the ventral tegmental area (VTA) d. reticular activating system (RAS), thalamus, and cortex One difference between the reinforcement provided by drugs and the reinforcement provide by natural reinforcers (like food) is that a. the reinforcement provided by drugs is stronger than the reinforcement provided by natural reinforcers b. the reinforcement provided by drugs occurs more slowly than the reinforcement provided by natural reinforcers c. drugs and natural reinforcers produce their reinforcing effects by activating different areas of the brain d. the reinforcement provided by most drugs appears to have a natural limit, but the reinforcement provided by natual reinforcers does not appear to have a natural limit The __________ states that the amount of time spent or the amount of effort exerted in obtaining one type of reinforcement compared to obtaining a different type of reinforcement will be proportional to (that is, will match) the amount of each type of reinforcement that is available. a. Matching Law b. Law of Equal Values c. Certainty Principle d. Herrnstein Equation The Matching Law explains why a. drug use is more prevalent in affluent suburbs than it is in economically depressed inner cities b. rats living in a cage alone will use less morphine than rats living in a social environment c. heroin use disappeared in returning Vietnam veterans d. monkeys are more likely to self-administer marijuana when alone and more likely to self-administer heroin when other monkeys are present Demand for a drug is said to be elastic a. if people spend a larger total amount of money for the drug than they did before when the price increases in order to continue to buy the same quantity of drug b. if people continue to spend the same total amount of money for the drug as they did before when the price increases even though they may not be able to buy as much of the drug c. if people spend less total amount of money for and buy less of the drug than they did before when the price increases d. when use of the drug is NOT stable but varies unpredictably from day to day If a commodity has a substitute available, demand curves for that commodity a. drop more slowly when cost increases b. drop more rapidly when cost increases c. become horizontal when cost increases d. have a slope of -1.0

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Chapter 6 Alcohol 1. In fermentation a. sugar is converted to alcohol and carbon dioxide b. sugar is converted into alcohol and carbon monoxide c. carbon dioxide is converted into water and alcohol d. alcohol is consumed by yeasts and the result is carbon dioxide and water Currently alcohol use in the United States is declining a. and will likely continue to decline indefinitely b. but will likely level off and then remain at a low level indefinitely c. but will likely begin to increase again and return to a peak level in about 30 or 40 years d. but no patterns of alcohol use exist and so future use is completely unpredictable Chris and Pat both drink exactly the same amount of alcohol. Assuming that all other factors are equal, which of the following differences will make Chris's BAL higher than Pat's? a. Chris is a smoker and Pat is not b. both have just consumed a full meal, but Chris has ulcers and takes ranitidine (Zantac) while Pat does not c. Chris is younger than Pat d. Chris has a history of alcoholism in his family and Pat does not Chris and Pat both drink exactly the same amount of alcohol. Assuming that all other factors are equal, which of the following differences will make Chris's BAL higher than Pat's? a. Chris weighs more than Pat b. Chris weighs less than Pat c. Chris is family history positive (FHP) for alcohol problems and Pat is family history negative (FHN) d. Chris is family history negative (FHN) for alcohol problems and Pat is family history positive (FHP) Chris and Pat both drink exactly the same amount of alcohol. Assuming that all other factors are equal, which of the following differences will make Chris's BAL higher than Pat's? a. Chris is a heavier drinker than Pat b. Chris is a smoker and Pat is not c. Chris is older than Pat and they are both males d. Chris is younger than Pat and they are both females The rate-limiting step in the metabolism of alcohol is controlled by a. formaldehyde b. acetaldehyde c. aldehyde dehydrogenase d. alcohol dehydrogenase For the majority of individuals the rate of metabolism of alcohol ranges from __________ mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood per hour. a. 05 b. 10 20 c. 25 35 d. 40 50 The microsomal ethanol oxidizing system (MEOS) is a. a metabolite of alcohol b. another name for acetyl-coenzyme A c. a system for metabolizing acetaldehyde d. responsible for increased tolerance to alcohol in heavy drinkers

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You would take an amethystic if you wanted to a. prevent the formation of formaldehyde after ingesting methanol b. block the first pass metabolism of alcohol c. reverse the effects of alcohol d. block the enzyme aldehyde dehydogenase and increase levels of acetaldehyde. It is often used as a treatment for alcoholism. Which one of the following effects does alcohol have on sleep? a. It decreases time to go to sleep and increases total sleeping time. b. It increases time to go to sleep and has no effect on total sleeping time c. It increases time to go to sleep and increases total sleeping time d. It decreases time to go to sleep and has no effect on total sleeping time An en bloc blackout is a. a result of dissociation b. an amnesia that occurs only in light drinkers c. an alcohol amnesia where events can be recalled if the person is reminded of them d. where alcohol causes amnesia because memories of events are never formed Laboratory animals were first trained to discriminate alcohol from saline. Next, another drug was given in place of alcohol in order to determine whether the animals would generalize the stimulus properties of alcohol to that other drug. Studies using this procedure have shown that the stimulus properties of alcohol do generalize to __________, thereby showing that at least some of the effects produced by alcohol are similar to some of the effects produced by those other substances. a. water b. chlorpromazine (a certain type of antipsychotic drug) c. barbiturates (a certain class of sedative hypnotic drugs) d. amphetamine (a certain type of psychomotor stimulant drug) The early minor withdrawal syndrome includes these characteristics: a. disorientation, hallucinations, death b. depression, drowsiness, chills c. agitation, tremors, irregular heart beat d. constipation, numbness, pain in the limbs Research on the demand characteristics of alcohol in the US show that as the price of __________ increases, the demand for this alcoholic beverage is relatively inelastic (that is, consumption is affected little if any at all). a. beer b. wine c. sprits (hard liquor like whiskey) d. all of the above The Therapeutic Index (TI) of alcohol is about a. 1.0 b. 3.5 c. 10 d. 100 Low doses of alcohol (that is, less than .10% BAL) are related to a(n) __________ in sexual arousal, and higher doses of alcohol are related to a(n) __________ in sexual arousal in both men and women. a. increase, increase b. increase, decrease c. decrease, increase d. decrease, decrease

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Prolonged alcohol abuse may eventually lead to cirrhosis of the liver which is characterized by a. the development of "liver spots" on the skin b. the development of scar tissue on the liver c. a decrease in fat levels in the liver d. an enhanced immune system Korsakoff's psychosis and Wernicke's disease are caused by a. an increase in fat levels in the body b. damage to certain parts of the brain as a result of a vitamin B-1 (thiamin) deficiency c damage to certain parts of the brain as a result of a vitamin C (ascorbic acid) deficiency d. damage to the myelin sheath of sensory and motor neurons as a result of a vitamin B-1 (thiamin) deficiency

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Chapter 7 Tranquilizers and Sedative-Hypnotics 1. Which one of the following is a short-acting benzodiazepine known as Mexican Valium or roofies and is used as a date rape drug? a. chlordiazepoxide (Librium) b. diazepam (Valium) c. flunitrazepam (Rohypnol) d. midazolam (Systemic) Benzodiazepines are absorbed more rapidly when taken orally than intramuscularly (IM) because a. they are weak acids b. they have a pKa of 5 c. they are lipid-soluble d. they tend to bind to protein at the IM injection site The metabolism of benzodiazepines can be slowed by a. alcohol b. barbital c. caffeine d. the presence of food in the stomach Barbiturates influence the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor-chloride ionophore by a. stimulating the GABA receptor b. enhancing the ability of GABA to open the ionophore c. inhibiting the action of the ionophore by blocking the effect of GABA d. blocking the benzodiazepine receptor Z drugs (for example, zolpidem [Ambien]), are a. antianxity without being sedative b. sedative without being antianxiety c. equally sedative and antianxiety d. neither sedative nor antianxiety In addition to treating anxiety and insomnia, benzodiazepines are useful as a. muscle relaxants b. birth control pills c. antipsychotics d. cough suppresants When first taken, benzodiazepine and barbiturate hypnotics typically produce a sleep that a. is like normal sleep b. has more time spent in slow-wave (deep) sleep than does normal sleep c. has more time spent in rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep than does normal sleep d. has less time spent in rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep than does normal sleep Which one of the following changes in feelings has been reported after taking benzodiazepines, like diazepam (Valium), especially in larger doses? a. decrease in fatigue b. increase in confusion c. increase in arousal d. increase in vigor Which one of the following effects of the benzodiapines does not show tolerance? a. anticonvulsant b. antianxiety c. hypnotic d. anterograde amnesia

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The stimulus properties of the benzodiazepines will generalize to which of the following drugs? a. antipsychotics, like chlorpromazine (Thorazine) b. ketamine, a dissociative aesthetic c. barbiturates d. saline Which of the following are cross tolerant with each other? a. benzodiapienes and barbiturates b. alcohol and nicotine c. alcohol and cocaine d. gamma-amino-butyrate (GHB) and phencyclidine (PCP)-like drugs A person who takes a higher-than-normal daily dose of a benzodiazepine for at least a month is likely to experience a sedative-hypnotic type withdrawal reaction when the drug is abruptly discontinued. This type of withdrawal reaction is characterized by a. agitation, increased activity, and aggression b. irregular heartbeat, increased blood pressure, and sensitivity to lights and sounds c. tremors, delirium, and cramps d. anxiety, muscle spasms, and prolonged sleep The term "iatrogenic" means a. physician caused b. a type of seizure c. cancer causing d. a safe medical use In general, benzodiazepines taken in combination with opiates, __________ the effects of the opiates. a. increase b. have no effect on c. decrease d. Who would waste taking two good drugs together when one could appreciate their effects separately? Symptoms of withdrawal similar to those of _________ have been observed in infants whose mothers used the benzodiazepine diazepam (Valium) during pregnancy. a. opiates b. nicotine c. cocaine d. phencyclidine (Sernylan, PCP)

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Chapter 9 Tobacco and Nicotine 1. Oral administration is not an effective route of getting recreational doses of nicotine into the body because a. nicotine irritates the stomach muscle so much that it causes the stomach to expel its contents through the throat and mouth before any significant amount of nicotine can be absorbed into the bloodstream b. nicotine binds with protein in the saliva to produce a large, combined, unabsorbable molecule c. nicotine molecules are so easily absorbed from the acidic digestive system that a lethal dose of nicotine is nearly impossible to avoid d. nicotine is quickly metabolized by the liver during its first pass through the liver Which one of the following blocks the receptor stimulated by nicotine? a. curare b. muscarine c. atropine d. cotenine Nicotine, at the doses used by most smokers, causes a. a decrease in the contraction velocity of the heart b. a decrease in muscle strength c. a decrease in hand steadiness d. a decrease in respiration Nicotines __________ of blood vessles in the __________ can lead to a __________. a. constriction, skin, cold touch b. dilation, skin, flushed face c. dilation, intestines, intestinal bleeding d. constriction, intestines, full feeling and decreased food consumption When people stop smoking a. there is no change in mood b. mood worsens and stays bad till smoking resumes c. mood worsens, but returns to normal within 3 to 4 weeks d. mood worsens, but returns to normal within 3 to 4 weeks and then becomes better than it was during smoking over the next 10 weeks. Because the effects of nicotine and amphetamine on operant behavior are similar, it has been suggested that a. amphetamine and nicotine share a similar molecular structure b. the behavioral effects of amphetamine are due to an action at cholinergic synapses c. both amphetamines and nicotine ultimately cause an increase in activity at the catecholaminergic synapses d. nicotine and amphetamine directly block the same receptors In laboratory animals, the stimulus properties of low doses of nicotine at least partially generalize to which one of the following? a. chlordiazepoxide (Librium), an antianxiety drug b. pentobarbital (Nembutal), a barbiturate sedative-hypnotic c caffeine d. cocaine Symptoms of nicotine withdrawal can be relieved by a. chewing regular gum b. smoking a denicotinized cigarette c. drinking alcohol d. taking an antipsychotic drug, like chlorpromazine (Thorazine)

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Stanley Schacter suggested that smoking increases during times of stress because the urine becomes __________, resulting in an increase in the ionization of nicotine molecules and consequently a __________ in the level of nicotine in the blood. a. acidic, increase b. acidic, decrease c. basic, increase d. basic, decrease The theory of nicotine self-administration that explains why smoking is the most addicting way of consuming tobacco is a. psychological tool theory b. physical dependence theory c. titration theory d. nicotine bolus theory Which of the following factor(s) is (are) related to smoking behavior? a. presence of others smoking b. presence of cigarettes in a room c. day of the week d. all of the above Smokers today are MORE likely than nonsmokers to a. do well academically b. have graduated from college c. have a professional job d. use other drugs Studies on the price demands of cigarettes in the United States show that an increase in the price of cigarettes over the course of a few short years is __________ for 12- to 17-year-olds and is relatively __________ for persons over 20. a. elastic, elastic b. elastic, inelastic c. inelastic, elastic d. inelastic, ineslastic One way in which nicotine contributes to heart disease is by a. increasing carboxyhemoglobin b. increasing oxygen uptake by tissues c. reducing platelet stickiness d. decreasing serotonin (5-HT) release Nicotine leads to an increase in the workload of the heart by causing a release of a. catecholamines b. opioid peptides c. glycine d. serotonin (5-HT) Which one of the following is likely the most effective nicotine replacement therapy? a. gum b. the patch c. nasal spray d. nicotine injections

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