False: Ethanol competes for occupancy of the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase, and thus prevents the metabolism of methanol to its toxic metabolite formic acid. This is an example of competitive antagonism (Bennett & Brown 2003, p. 92; King 2004, p. 76).

True: Compliance therapy, i.e. the use of a cognitive strategy that helps the patient weigh advantages and disadvantages of drug treatment, has been shown to improve the outcome in patients with schizophrenia.

False: In zero-order kinetics the rate of the metabolism or elimination is not related to the concentration of the drug, but occurs at a constant rate, e.g. the metabolism of alcohol. First-order kinetics can be described in terms of half-life (Anderson & Reid 2002, p. 28; Bennett & Brown 2003, p. 99).

True: Neurotransmitter receptors are usually located on a membrane on the far side of the synapse to the point of release. When these postsynaptic receptors are located on the dendrites or the soma of a neuron they regulate cell firing. When located on a nerve terminal and regulating neurotransmitter release they are called presynaptic heteroceptors. Presynaptic heteroceptors regulate neurotransmitter release by the axon terminal on which they are located. For example, mirtazapine blocks α₂-heteroceptors on serotonergic neurons, resulting in increased serotonin release (Anderson & Reid 2002, p. 10).

True: Ionotropic receptors are ligand-gated ion channels that respond to neurotransmitters by allowing ion flux across cell membranes. Metabotropic receptors, however, mediate neurotransmission less directly by activating second messenger molecules which subsequently modulate cellular communication (Rang et al 2003, p. 22).

True: The sympathetic transmitter at the postganglionic synapse is usually noradrenaline, but in sweat glands and in some blood vessels it is acetylcholine. The postganglionic parasympathetic neurotransmitter is acetylcholine (Rang et al 2003, p. 123).

False: Muscarinic receptors are G-protein coupled (Anderson & Reid 2002, p. 22).

True: Pregabalin is a leucine analogue. It binds to the alpha 2 delta subunit of voltage-sensitive calcium channels. This diminishes neuronal activity and neurotransmitter release. Pregabalin is used in peripheral neuropathic pain and as adjunctive therapy for partial seizures. Its efficacy in anxiety, social phobia and pain is under investigation.

True: DHEA can act as an anti-glucocorticoid (Goodyer et al 2003).

True: Anticholinergic drugs exert an excitatory effect, opposite to that of dopamine, on striatal neurons. They also exert a presynaptic inhibitory effect on dopaminergic nerve terminals and hence inhibit dopamine secretion (Rang et al 2003, p. 500).

True: The dopamine firing rate changes during the anticipation and possibly also during the experience of pleasurable or dreaded stimuli. This pathway is strongly associated with motivation, reward behaviour and dependence on drugs of abuse (Anderson & Reid 2002, p. 12; Sadock & Sadock 2005, p. 1393).

False: Dopamine receptors can be pre- or postsynaptic. Postsynaptic dopamine receptors are located on the far side of the synapse to the point of release. The presynaptic receptors are located on the dopamine neurons and are called autoreceptors. Stimulation of these autoreceptors inhibits the release of dopamine by the neuron. The D₂ receptors are located post- as well as presynaptically (Anderson & Reid 2002, p. 10; Cooper et al 2003, p. 240).

True: Raclopride is a D₂ receptor antagonist. Other compounds used to image dopamine receptors include other benzamides such as iodobenzamide and fallypride, and butyrophenones such as spiperone/spiroperidol derivatives (King 2004, p. 24).

True: β-endorphin neurons, via μ receptors, inhibit GABA neurons that inhibit dopaminergic neurons. This results in increased mesolimbic dopaminergic activity. Dynorphin, via κ receptors, tonically inhibits mesolimbic dopamine release. Basal dopamine release is determined by the balance between these two opioid systems.

False: Post-mortem studies in schizophrenic brains show reduced concentrations of glutamate in the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex. This suggests that there is decreased glutaminergic transmission in schizophrenia (Sadock & Sadock 2005, p. 70).

True: Magnesium readily blocks NMDA receptors. This block shows marked voltage dependence, occurring at physiological magnesium concentrations when the cell is normally polarized, but is overcome if the cell is depolarized (Kandel et al 2000, p. 212; Rang et al 2003, p. 466).

True: Nicotine is absorbed through the skin, mucous membranes and lungs. With smoking, nicotine is rapidly absorbed across the lung mucosa and produces effects on the brain within about 7 seconds (King 2004, p. 507).

True: The mesolimbic dopaminergic pathway that projects from the ventral tegmental area to the nucleus accumbens is strongly associated with motivation, reward behaviour and dependence on drugs of abuse. The stimulant and rewarding effects of nicotine are mediated via the nicotinic cholinergic receptors that indirectly increase the release of dopamine from the nucleus accumbens (Anderson & Reid 2002, p. 12; King 2004, p. 506; Sadock & Sadock 2005, p. 1393).

False: The NMDA receptor is a ligand-gated ion channel, activated by glutamate. The NMDA receptor is unique among transmitter-gated channels because its opening also depends on membrane voltage (which will expel Mg²⁺ from the channel by electrostatic repulsion, allowing Ca²⁺ and Na⁺ to enter). Thus it is sensitive to voltage. It controls a cation channel that is permeable to Ca²⁺ as well as to Na⁺ and K⁺ (Cooper et al 2003, p. 139; Kandel et al 2000, p. 212).

True: β-adrenoceptors are stimulatory. Their stimulation increases cAMP (Anderson & Reid 2002, p. 16).

False: The QT interval is the time in milliseconds between the beginning of the QRS complex and the end of the T wave. Prolongation is associated with ventricular arrhythmias and sudden death. QT is dependent on heart rate. The Bazett’s formula (QT/√RR interval) is applied to give a QT corrected for rate (QTc). Normal QTc is <450 ms in women and <430 ms in men. Prolonged values are >470 ms in women and >450 ms in men (King 2004, p. 581).

False: The serotonergic pathway that connects the dorsal raphe nuclei to the dorsal periaqueductal grey matter is implicated in the regulation of escape behaviour and panic. A number of animal studies have shown that increased 5-HT in the periaqueductal grey matter inhibits the fright/flight response. This may be mediated via 5-HT_1A and 5-HT_2A receptors. This may explain why SSRIs are effective in the treatment of anxiety disorders.

True: Transporters or monoamine plasma membrane transported proteins mediate the reuptake of monoamines released into the synaptic cleft back into the presynaptic terminal. There is an inverse association between 5-HT and impulsivity, aggression and violence (Johnstone et al 2004, p. 509; Sadock & Sadock 2005, p. 54).

False: [¹²³I]-iodobenzamide ([¹²³I]IBZM) is a radioligand that is widely used for SPECT imaging of dopamine receptors D₂ and D₃.

True: Yohimbine is an α₂ antagonist which increases noradrenaline release. It precipitates panic attacks in patients with panic disorder, but not in healthy volunteers. It was considered an aphrodisiac. It sometimes helps in psychogenic impotence (Anderson & Reid 2002, p. 96; King 2004, p. 560).