A client is admitted to an emergency department experiencing memory deficits and decreased motor function. What alteration in brain chemistry should a nurse correlate with the presentation of these symptoms?
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A
Abnormal levels of serotonin
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B
Decreased levels of dopamine
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C
Increased levels of norepinephrine
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D
Decreased levels of acetylcholine
The choice that aligns with the client data is Decreased levels of acetylcholine.
A. Abnormal levels of serotonin
This reflects a related idea, but it fits best when the idea in “Abnormal levels of serotonin” addresses a different mechanism or priority than the one emphasized by the stem The wording does not track the stem’s main cue, so selecting it would shift the nurse away from the most precise interpretation or priority.
B. Decreased levels of dopamine
This sounds reasonable when the idea in “Decreased levels of dopamine” addresses a different mechanism or priority than the one emphasized by the stem The wording does not track the stem’s main cue, so selecting it would shift the nurse away from the most precise interpretation or priority.
C. Increased levels of norepinephrine
This reflects a related idea, but it fits best when the idea in “Increased levels of norepinephrine” addresses a different mechanism or priority than the one emphasized by the stem The wording does not track the stem’s main cue, so selecting it would shift the nurse away from the most precise interpretation or priority.
D. Decreased levels of acetylcholine
This works since The nurse should correlate memory deficits and decreased motor function with decreased levels of acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is a major effector chemical of the autonomic nervous system. Functions of acetylcholine include sleep regulation, pain perception, the modulation and coordination of movement, and memory. Need: Physiological Integrity The underlying principle in the stem is best addressed by choosing the response that is both specific to the cue provided and consistent with evidence-informed psychiatric nursing practice. From a nursing standpoint, this selection guides assessment and interventions toward what is most clinically meaningful in the moment—risk reduction, safety, accurate appraisal, and support for adaptive coping.
Conclusion
The stem provides enough information to select the most accurate interpretation without adding extra assumptions. The chosen answer reflects the correct framework, and the remaining choices drift toward incomplete, premature, or misdirected reasoning.