Deck 4: Anxiety and Stress Related Disorders: Panic, Generalized Anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Question 1

________ is the most prevalent of all of the psychological disorders.

A) Major depression
B) Schizophrenia
C) Anxiety
D) ADHD

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Fear and anxiety involve all of the following neural structures EXCEPT

A) the amygdala.
B) the hypothalamus.
C) the thalamus.
D) the basal ganglia.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

The amygdaloid nuclei are located

A) in the brainstem.
B) in the cerebellum.
C) within the temporal lobes.
D) posterior to the hypothalamus.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

The ________ and ________ control various fear responses such as the inability to move, facial expression, and heart and respiration rates.

A) thalamus; amygdala
B) medulla; hypothalamus
C) pons; medulla
D) orbitofrontal cortex; thalamus

Question 5

The brain structure that sends inhibitory signals to the amygdala to diminish fear and anxiety is the

A) thalamus.
B) prefrontal cortex.
C) hypothalamus.
D) cingulate cortex.

Question 6

Damage to the ________ diminishes one's ability to respond appropriately in social contexts.

A) amygdala
B) thalamus
C) prefrontal cortex
D) cerebellum

Question 7

The ________ receives sensory information about body states and during emotional responses.

A) amygdala
B) thalamus
C) prefrontal cortex
D) cingulate cortex

Question 8

Damage to the cingulate cortex disrupts

A) one's ability to experience the subjective feeling of an emotion.
B) the physiological state of an emotion.
C) fear and anxiety responses (e.g., changes in heart rate, facial expression).
D) facial expressions of all emotions.

Question 9

Anxiety differs from normal fear in that

A) fear has an anatomical basis and anxiety does not.
B) fear involves different neural structures than anxiety.
C) anxiety is subjective, whereas fear is objective.
D) anxiety can be experienced in the absence of an emotion-causing stimulus.

Question 10

Anxiety typically occurs when

A) we are exposed to fear-producing stimuli and cannot withdraw from them.
B) fear responses are not shut off after the stimulus is no longer present.
C) we perceive an expectation of a vague threat or danger.
D) All of the above are correct

Question 11

Which of the following situations would normally cause anxiety as opposed to fear?

A) An unfriendly dog rapidly approaching
B) Preparing for an important exam
C) Leaning over a high building
D) Falling out of a raft in river rapids

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT one of the symptoms of a panic attack?

A) Dizziness
B) Paresthesia
C) Chest pain
D) Dry mouth

Question 13

The symptoms of trembling, accelerated heart rate, shortness of breath, chest pain, and dizziness are common with

A) posttraumatic stress disorder.
B) a panic attack.
C) hysteria.
D) a phobia.

Question 14

Which of the following disorders often occurs after experiencing a severe accident, disaster, or horrific crime?

A) Panic disorder
B) Agoraphobia
C) Posttraumatic stress disorder
D) Generalized anxiety disorder

Question 15

Stress can lead to

A) GABA rebound and an excess of GABA activity.
B) increased activity in the amygdala.
C) decreases in volume in the hippocampus.
D) Both b and c are correct

Question 16

Functional neuroimaging studies have revealed ________ in the ________ in posttraumatic stress disorder patients.

A) hypoactivity; amygdala
B) hypoactivity; prefrontal cortex
C) hyperactivity; prefrontal cortex
D) hyperactivity; cingulate cortex

Question 17

Functional neuroimaging studies have revealed ________ in the ________ in posttraumatic stress disorder patients, following exposure to trauma-related stimuli.

A) hyperactivity; amygdala
B) hyperactivity; prefrontal cortex
C) hypoactivity; cingulate cortex
D) hyperactivity; cingulate cortex

Question 18

The lifetime prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder is about ________ percent of the population.

A) 10
B) 5
C) 2
D) 15

Question 19

Research has shown a strong association between the co-occurrences of ________ and ________.

A) anxiety disorders; major depression
B) posttraumatic stress disorder; early childhood experiences
C) panic attacks; obsessive compulsive disorder
D) excessive fear responses; anxiety

Question 20

One way to investigate anxiety in laboratory animals (rats) is to measure their

A) immobility in forced swim tasks.
B) sleep and activity patterns.
C) time in open arms of an elevated maze.
D) blood levels of GABA.

Question 21

Based upon our knowledge of the neural basis of fear and anxiety, the best class of drugs for treating anxiety disorders would be

A) antidepressants (e.g., an SSRI).
B) dopamine antagonists.
C) GABA antagonists.
D) GABA agonists.

Question 22

Drugs used to treat anxiety disorders were developed

A) soon after the neurobiology of fear and anxiety were discovered.
B) once the GABA receptor was identified.
C) long before the discovery of GABA.
D) from plant extracts with known anxiolytic properties.

Question 23

The first drugs developed to treat anxiety were derived from

A) plant extracts with known anxiolytic properties.
B) ethanol-containing products.
C) barbituric acid.
D) opium.

Question 24

Which of the following statements best describes the GABAᴀ receptor?

A) It is a metabotropic receptor.
B) It is an ionotropic receptor that controls the influx of Cl⁻ ions.
C) It is an ionotropic receptor that controls the influx of Na⁺ ions.
D) It is still not well understood.

Question 25

When a barbiturate or alcohol receptor site is bound to a specific agonist, the neurotransmitter GABA

A) does not bind to its receptor.
B) binds to its receptor, but has no additional effect in the ion channel.
C) increases the effectiveness and duration of GABA binding.
D) is displaced.

Question 26

Postsynaptic membranes at GABAᴀ synapses become ________ when GABA binds to its receptors.

A) depolarized
B) hyperpolarized
C) unstable
D) inhibited

Question 27

The administration of diazepam-binding inhibitor (DBI)

A) produces intense anxiety.
B) causes sleep or sedation.
C) produces a powerful calming effect.
D) None of the above is correct

Question 28

Barbiturates have all of the following effects EXCEPT

A) sedation.
B) respiratory depression at high doses.
C) an increase in REM sleep.
D) muscle relaxation.

Question 29

Benzodiazepines differ from barbiturates in that they

A) bind to a different subunit on the GABAᴀ receptor complex.
B) do not produce sedation.
C) do not open Cl⁻ channels on their own.
D) Both a and c are correct

Question 30

Which of the following statements regarding benzodiazepines is NOT true?

A) All benzodiazepines agonize GABA neurotransmission by their activity on specific sites on the benzodiazepine receptor complex.
B) The side effects of benzodiazepines are the same as alcohol intoxication.
C) Benzodiazepines are rarely lethal by themselves in overdose.
D) Benzodiazepines can cause physical dependence with long-term use and have great addictive potential.

Question 31

In addition to barbiturates and benzodiazepines, ________ are also used effectively to treat anxiety disorders.

A) dopamine agonists
B) serotonin agonists
C) serotonin antagonists
D) DBIs

Question 32

________ is a drug that has been abused both for muscle development by athletes and to facilitate rape.

A) Flumazenil
B) Gabapentin
C) Rohypnol
D) Gamma-hydroxybutric acid (GHB)

Question 33

One herbal remedy known for its sedating and anxiolytic properties that has experimental support for its effectiveness in treating anxiety is

A) St. John's Wort.
B) inositol.
C) valerian root extract.
D) None of the above is correct

Question 34

The active, anxiety-reducing compounds in extracts of valerian root include

A) ethanol.
B) valernic acid.
C) GABA.
D) Both b and c are correct

Question 35

The active compounds in valerian root extract appear to

A) directly open Cl⁻ channels at the GABAᴀ receptor.
B) increase GABA synthesis.
C) bind to specific subunits on the GABAᴀ receptor complex and facilitate GABA binding.
D) be unknown at this time.

Question 36

Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding research on the effectiveness of inositol as an anxiety-reducing supplement?

A) It is about as effective as benzodiazepines.
B) It can reduce anxiety if combined with alcohol.
C) It has been shown to reduce anxiety in experimental animals, but not in humans.
D) There is little evidence supporting its effectiveness.

Question 37

Obsessive compulsive disorder is characterized by

A) episodes of depression mixed with anxiety.
B) unwanted thoughts and repetitive behaviors.
C) repeating thoughts and severe motor tics.
D) depression and repetitive behavior.

Question 38

The underlying pathology of obsessive compulsive disorder appears to be

A) dysfunctional circuitry among the orbitofrontal cortex, structures within the basal ganglia, and the cingulate gyrus.
B) cellular degeneration of the orbitofrontal cortex.
C) excessive activity of the prefrontal cortex and the cingulate gyrus.
D) the absence of neural connections between the cingulate gyrus and orbitofrontal cortices.

Question 39

The most effective drug treatment for obsessive compulsive disorder is

A) GABA agonists.
B) dopamine antagonists.
C) serotonin agonists.
D) serotonin antagonists.

Question 40

A possible mechanism for drug treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder appears to be

A) increasing dopamine receptors in the caudate nucleus.
B) decreasing neural activity in the thalamus.
C) decreasing activity in the cingulate gyrus.
D) All of the above are correct