AIIMS M.Sc. Nsg Entrance exam-2026
Mental Health Nursing
Easy
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), which neurotransmitter abnormality is most commonly associated?
Appeared in: AIIMS M.Sc. Nsg Entrance exam-2026
Explanation
- Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, responsible for reducing neuronal excitability and producing a calming effect.
- In Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), a deficiency in GABA or impaired function of its receptors leads to a state of chronic neuronal hyperexcitability.
- This lack of inhibition manifests clinically as the core symptoms of GAD, including persistent worry, restlessness, muscle tension, and difficulty concentrating.
- The therapeutic action of benzodiazepines, which enhance GABA's inhibitory effects, provides strong evidence for the role of GABA deficiency in anxiety.
Why Other Options Were Wrong
- Option A: Increased dopamine is not primarily associated with GAD. Excess dopamine activity is more strongly linked to the positive symptoms of psychosis, such as in schizophrenia.
- Option B: Decreased acetylcholine is the hallmark neurotransmitter abnormality in Alzheimer's disease, affecting memory and cognitive function, not anxiety.
- Option C: An increase in serotonin is not the cause of GAD. The condition involves a complex dysregulation of the serotonin system. In fact, treatments like SSRIs aim to increase serotonin availability to correct a functional deficit.
Related Visual
Clinical Relevance
- Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Neurotransmitter involvement in Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
- Understanding the role of GABA is crucial for nurses when educating patients about anxiolytic medications like benzodiazepines, explaining that they work by boosting the brain's natural calming system.
- This knowledge helps nurses anticipate and monitor for CNS depressant effects (e.g., sedation, dizziness) when a patient is on a GABA-enhancing medication.
- It also clarifies why different drug classes are used for anxiety; SSRIs target the serotonin system for long-term management, while benzodiazepines target the GABA system for short-term, rapid relief.
How to Approach the Question
- First, identify the core of the question: it asks for the primary neurotransmitter abnormality in Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).
- Recall the main functions of the neurotransmitters listed in the options: GABA (inhibitory/calming), Dopamine (reward/motivation), Acetylcholine (memory/muscle), and Serotonin (mood/sleep).
- Think about the symptoms of anxiety: overthinking, restlessness, feeling 'on-edge'. These symptoms suggest a state of brain hyperactivity or over-stimulation.
- Logically connect the symptoms of over-stimulation to a lack of inhibition. A deficiency in the brain's main 'brake pedal' (GABA) would lead to this state.
- Eliminate the other options. Increased dopamine is linked to psychosis. Decreased acetylcholine is linked to Alzheimer's. Serotonin is involved, but a simple increase is not the cause; rather, treatments aim to increase it, suggesting a deficit or dysregulation.
Concept Tested & Keywords
- Concept Tested: Neurotransmitter involvement in Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
- Stem keywords: Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), neurotransmitter abnormality
- Lead-in keywords: most commonly associated
Question ID
QZrfqefkMFGWLaGgfzOp28
Reference Book
E6 Kaplan Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry-2022 (pp 1-3768 of 3768) p. 1315-1317
E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) p. 5780-5782
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