Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) Practice Test

The symptoms of hallucinations and delusions in schizophrenia are primarily linked to which neurotransmitter?

1. Serotonin

2. Norepinephrine

3. Dopamine

4. GABA

The correct answer is: Dopamine

The symptoms of hallucinations and delusions in schizophrenia are primarily linked to dopamine, a neurotransmitter that plays a crucial role in various brain functions, including mood, behavior, and cognition. Research has shown that an overactivity of dopamine transmission in certain brain pathways is associated with positive symptoms of schizophrenia, such as hallucinations (false perceptions) and delusions (false beliefs). The link between dopamine and schizophrenia is central to the dopamine hypothesis, which posits that increased dopamine activity contributes to the psychotic symptoms seen in this disorder. This understanding is what drives many treatment approaches for schizophrenia, as antipsychotic medications often work by blocking dopamine receptors, effectively reducing these symptoms and helping to stabilize the patient’s mental state. While serotonin, norepinephrine, and GABA are also important neurotransmitters in the brain, their roles in schizophrenia are more complex and less directly associated with the hallmark symptoms of delusions and hallucinations compared to dopamine. This makes dopamine the primary neurotransmitter of interest for these specific symptoms in cases of schizophrenia.