RIMS Nursing Officer - 2022
Applied Physiology
Easy
Which of the following is called a 'pleasure chemical' in the human body?
Appeared in: RIMS Nursing Officer - 2022
Explanation
- Dopamine is widely known as the "pleasure chemical" or "feel-good" neurotransmitter.
- It is a central part of the brain's reward pathway, which is activated during pleasurable experiences.
- The release of dopamine reinforces behaviors by creating a sense of satisfaction, thus motivating the individual to repeat those actions.
- Beyond pleasure, dopamine is also critical for motor control, and a deficiency in dopamine-producing cells leads to Parkinson's disease.
Why Other Options Were Wrong
- Option A: Noradrenaline (norepinephrine) is primarily associated with the body's 'fight or flight' response, not pleasure. Its main roles are to increase alertness, arousal, and attention during stressful situations.
- Option C: Cortisol is the body's primary stress hormone. It is released during prolonged periods of stress to help regulate metabolism and suppress inflammation, but it is not associated with feelings of pleasure.
- Option D: Epinephrine, also known as adrenaline, is another key hormone in the 'fight or flight' response. It provides a rapid burst of energy in response to immediate danger or excitement by increasing heart rate and blood sugar, but it does not create a feeling of pleasure.
Related Visual
Clinical Relevance
- Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Functions of Major Neurotransmitters and Hormones as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
- Understanding dopamine's role is crucial for nurses when caring for patients with addiction, as many substances of abuse artificially increase dopamine levels, leading to dependence.
- Nurses monitor for side effects of antipsychotic medications, which often work by blocking dopamine receptors, and for motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease, which is caused by a loss of dopamine-producing cells.
- What if? If a patient is on a dopamine antagonist (blocker) for schizophrenia, the nurse should be vigilant for a lack of motivation or anhedonia (inability to feel pleasure), as this can be a side effect of reduced dopamine activity.
How to Approach the Question
- First, identify the core concept of the question, which is to name the body's 'pleasure chemical'.
- Recall the primary functions of the major neurotransmitters and hormones listed in the options.
- Associate 'dopamine' with reward, motivation, and pleasure.
- Associate 'noradrenaline' and 'epinephrine' with the 'fight or flight' stress response.
- Associate 'cortisol' with the long-term stress response.
- Based on these associations, select the chemical directly linked to pleasure.
Concept Tested & Keywords
- Concept Tested: Functions of Major Neurotransmitters and Hormones
- Stem keywords: pleasure chemical, human body
- Lead-in keywords: Which of the following
Question ID
Q0bRudkAWzMzhI95pv1NIW
Reference Book
E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) p. 441-443
E6 Physiology Guyton 4SAE Part 2A p. 153-155
Practise the full RIMS Nursing Officer - 2022
Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.
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