What Paper A tests in Neuroscience
Paper A is a written paper of about 150 questions (single-best-answer MCQs and extended matching items) sat over three hours, blueprinted against the RCPsych syllabus. Questions from this domain typically cover:
- Basic Techniques (EEG, Neuroimaging, TMS)
- Cells & Neuronal Physiology
- Neurotransmitters & Receptors
- Neuroanatomy, Lobes & Cortex
- Neuroanatomy, Basal Ganglia
- Neuroanatomy, Temporal Lobes & Hippocampus
- Neuroanatomy, Frontal Lobes
- White Matter Pathways
- Neurochemical Pathways
- Neural Circuits, Appetite & Sleep
- Neural Circuits, Emotion & Motivation
- Neural Circuits, Memory & Executive Function
Worked example
This is a real question from the Neuroscience section, the kind you will see in Paper A:
The primary somatosensory cortex is located in which region?
- Precentral gyrus
- Calcarine sulcus
- Superior temporal gyrus
- Postcentral gyrus
- Cingulate gyrus
How to revise this section for Paper A
Work in short, active blocks: attempt questions first, read the explanation whether right or wrong, and log the subtopics you miss. Our weakness tracker flags any subtopic where you score below 60% so you can target revision rather than re-reading everything. Anchor your reading to the recommended text (Cambridge Textbook of Neuroscience for Psychiatrists) so your facts match the exam blueprint.
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See the full MRCPsych Paper A guide or browse all 14 revision sections.