NURS 660 [STUDY GUIDE] LATEST UPDATE 2026 QUESTIONS AND EXPLAINED ANSWERS (Complete And Verified Study material) (31pages) LEARNEXAMS

1. Identify the emerging neurobiological hypothesis of schizophrenia.

o The hypothesis: (focus on the most detail with the Dopamine Theory)

❖ The only pharmacological treatment that we have are dopamine (D2

receptors) and serotonin (5HT2A)

❖ Dopamine Theory

â–ª Hyperactive dopamine at D2 receptors in the mesolimbic

pathway

In the mesolimbic pathway is responsible for the positive

symptoms; the hypoactivity is responsible for the negative

▪ Mesolimbic pathway it‟s overactive dopamine receptors or

overactive dopamine on the dopamine receptors in mesolimbic

pathways but it is also hypoactive dopamine at the D2 receptors

in the mesocortical pathway

â–ª Most detailed knowledge about this theory because that has been

our foundational understanding of schizophrenia up until the very

recent past so the other two, we don‟t have as much detail about.

But the other two just give us a much fuller understanding as far

as why the Dopamine Theory happened in the first place.

❖ Glutamate Theory

â–ª Hypoactive dopamine at N-Methyl-D-Asperate (NMDA) receptor

â–ª NMDA receptors are hypofunctioning and because of that, it leads

to hyperactive dopamine in the mesolimbic pathway and

hypoactive dopamine in the mesocortical pathway.

â–ª The NMDA receptor is on the GABA interneurons

â–ª Emerging one

❖ Serotonin Theory

â–ª Hyperactive dopamine at the 5HT2A receptors in the

mesocortical pathway

5HT2A receptors are overly active

In the mesocortical pathway is responsible for the negative

symptoms

â–ª 5HT2A receptors are hyperfunctioning, which leads to over

functioning or overactive dopamine on those receptors in them

as a mesolimbic pathway and hypoactive dopamine receptors in

that mesocortical pathway

o Positive symptoms

❖ Delusions, Hallucinations

o Negative symptoms

2

❖ Apathy, Anhedonia, Cognitive Blunting, Neuroleptic dysphoria