How the Nervous System Develops

Question 1

A cell that is pluripotent can develop into:
A.
any class of cell in the body.
B.
only one type of cell.
C.
different cells of only one class.
D.
many, but not all, classes of body cells.

Answer 1

D.
many, but not all, classes of body cells.

Question 2

Which choice correctly arranges early neurodevelopmental structures in order of their appearance, beginning with the earliest?
A.
neural groove, neural plate, neural tube
B.
neural plate, neural groove, neural tube
C.
neural plate, neural tube, neural groove
D.
neural tube, neural groove, neural plate

Answer 2

B.
neural plate, neural groove, neural tube

Question 3

Most cell division in the neural tube occurs in the:
A.
ventricles.
B.
mesoderm.
C.
ventricular zone.
D.
floor plate.

Answer 3

C.
ventricular zone.

Question 4

The mechanism that enables developing cells to migrate either radially or tangentially is:
A.
glia-mediated migration.
B.
axonal transmigration.
C.
somal translocation.
D.
aggregation.

Answer 4

C.
somal translocation.

Question 5

The topographic gradient hypothesis was proposed to explain:
A.
the results of Sperry’s classic experiments with frogs.
B.
how axonal growth can produce accurate topographic maps in the brain.
C.
somal translocation.
D.
why some growing axons follow the same circuitous route to reach their target in every member of a species.

Answer 5

B.
how axonal growth can produce accurate topographic maps in the brain.

Question 6

The volume of the human brain _______________ between birth and adulthood.
A.
quadruples
B.
remains unchanged
C.
Doubles

Answer 6

C.
Doubles

Question 7

During postnatal human brain development, cortical thinning occurs first in the _____ area(s).
A.
prefrontal
B.
parietal
C.
secondary sensory
D.
primary sensory

Answer 7

D.
primary sensory

Question 8

Myelination of sensory areas usually occurs:
A.
during the first few months after birth.
B.
prenatally.
C.
during the second year after birth.
D.
during adolescence.

Answer 8

A.
during the first few months after birth.

Question 9

One of the four cognitive functions that the prefrontal cortex plays a role in is:
A.
planning and carrying out sequences of actions.
B.
ocular dominance.
C.
neurogenesis.
D.
fear-learning and anxiety.

Answer 9

A.
planning and carrying out sequences of actions.

Question 10

Diamond hypothesized that perseverative errors occur in infants between 7 and 12 months because the ______________ cortex/cortices is/are not fully developed during this period.
A.
primary sensory
B.
parietal
C.
prefrontal
D.
secondary sensory

Answer 10

C.
prefrontal

Question 11

Although an experience may have an impact at other times during development, it is likely to have an especially profound effect on development during a ______ period.
A.
sensitive
B.
critical
C.
time-dependent
D.
Developmental

Answer 11

A.
sensitive

Question 12

With respect to development, critical period is to sensitive period as _____ is to _____.
A.
essential; important
B.
prenatal; postnatal
C.
important; essential
D.
postnatal; prenatal

Answer 12

A.
essential; important

Question 13

Rats reared from birth in the dark were found to have:
A.
fewer dendritic spines in their association cortices.
B.
less myelination in their secondary visual cortices.
C.
fewer synapses in their primary visual cortices.
D.
deficits in working memory.

Answer 13

C.
fewer synapses in their primary visual cortices

Question 14

Baby Mateo was born with cataracts in both eyes. The cataracts were removed when Mateo was about one month old. Based on information provided in your textbook, it is MOST likely that Mateo’s vision:
A.
will recover quickly in some ways, but some aspects of vision will remain impaired into adulthood.
B.
will recover quickly, with no lasting impairments.
C.
will remain comparable to that of a newborn.
D.
will recover only very slowly.

Answer 14

A.
will recover quickly in some ways, but some aspects of vision will remain impaired into adulthood.

Question 15

Early musical training has been found to:
A.
delay the development of perfect pitch.
B.
expand an area of the auditory cortex.
C.
expand the primary sensory cortices, particularly the visual and auditory primary cortices.
D.
shrink the association cortices, particularly the auditory association cortex.

Answer 15

B.
expand an area of the auditory cortex.

Question 16

Prior to the early 1980s, neurogenesis was assumed to:
A.
be restricted to early stages of development.
B.
occur only in the adult mammalian brain.
C.
be restricted to the postnatal period.
D.
be detrimental.

Answer 16

A.
be restricted to early stages of development.

Question 17

The number of new neurons added to the adult human hippocampus has been estimated to be about ___________ per day per hippocampus.
A.
900
B.
1000
C.
700
D.
2000

Answer 17

C.
700

Question 18

New olfactory bulb neurons are created from adult neural stem cells at certain sites in the:
A.
striatum.
B.
prefrontal cortex.
C.
subventricular zone of the lateral ventricles.
D.
hippocampus.

Answer 18

C.
subventricular zone of the lateral ventricles.

Question 19

Adult rats living in enriched environments produced 60 percent more new hippocampal neurons than did adult rats living in nonenriched environments. This effect was shown to be largely due to the ______________ that typically occur in enriched environments.
A.
increases in visual stimulation
B.
increases in exercise
C.
decreases in exercise
D.
increases in sexual behavior

Answer 19

B.
increases in exercise

Question 20

Elbert and colleagues (1995) showed that adult musicians who play stringed instruments that are fingered with the left hand:
A.
performed better than non-stringed instrument players on mathematical tasks.
B.
are more likely to demonstrate perfect pitch than are players of other instruments.
C.
have a smaller-than-average hand-representation area in their left somatosensory cortex.
D.
have an enlarged hand-representation area in their right somatosensory cortex

Answer 20

D.
have an enlarged hand-representation area in their right somatosensory cortex

Question 21

Core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) include:
A.
unrestricted and varied patterns of behavior, interests, or activities.
B.
excessive pursuit of social stimulation.
C.
lack of language development after the second year.
D.
a reduced capacity for social interaction and communication.

Answer 21

D.
a reduced capacity for social interaction and communication.

Question 22

One early warning sign of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is:
A.
smiling prior to 9 months.
B.
impressive musical abilities.
C.
the development of communicative gestures prior to 12 months.
D.
a decline in eye contact between 2 and 6 months.

Answer 22

D.
a decline in eye contact between 2 and 6 months.

Question 23

Savant abilities:
A.
emerge as a result of many hours of concentrated practice
B.
do not appear to develop through learning or practice
C.
are present in about 80 percent of persons diagnosed with ASD
D.
usually are not evident in a person with ASD until mid-adolescence

Answer 23

B.
do not appear to develop through learning or practice

Question 24

People with Williams syndrome:
A.
score high on IQ tests.
B.
are sociable.
C.
are withdrawn.
D.
are nonempathetic.

Answer 24

B.
are sociable.

Question 25

In cases of Williams syndrome, hypersociability and impairment of spatial cognition are linked to:
A.
transcription-related errors in brain cells.
B.
cortical thinning in the orbitofrontal cortex and between the parietal and occipital lobes.
C.
cortical thickening in the superior temporal gyrus.
D.
decreased synaptic pruning by glial cells during development.

Answer 25

B.
cortical thinning in the orbitofrontal cortex and between the parietal and occipital lobes.

Question 26

In the case of __________, developing cells in the neural tube migrate by growing an extension from the cell in the direction of the migration.
A.
somal translocation
B.
glia-mediated migration
C.
radial translocation
D.
inside migration

Answer 26

A.
somal translocation

Question 27

At the tip of each growing axon is a:
A.
CAM.
B.
neural crest cell.
C.
hillock.
D.
growth cone

Answer 27

D.
growth cone

Question 28

Fasciculation is:
A.
the tendency of developing axons to grow along paths established by preceding axons.
B.
the main method used by pioneer growth cones to reach their targets.
C.
the wave-like movements made by the tips of growth cones.
D.
a form of synaptogenesis.

Answer 28

A.
the tendency of developing axons to grow along paths established by preceding axons.

Question 29

Unlike many other brain structures, myelination of the ________continues into adulthood.
A.
prefrontal cortex
B.
motor areas of the cortex
C.
sensory areas of the cortex
D.
temporal cortex

Answer 29

A.
prefrontal cortex

Question 30

In adult humans, neurogenesis occurs in the:
A.
amygdala.
B.
olfactory bulb.
C.
hippocampus.

Answer 30

C.
hippocampus.

Question 31

Adult neurogenesis is increased by:
A.
sleep.
B.
exercise.
C.
napping.
D.
thinking.

Answer 31

A.
sleep.

Question 32

A popular theory proposes that adult hippocampal neurogenesis is important for:
A.
regulating mood and anxiety.
B.
maintaining the olfactory bulb’s taste and smell functions.
C.
maintaining coordination between the cerebellum and the prefrontal cortex.
D.
serving a role in overall activity level of the person.

Answer 32

A.
regulating mood and anxiety.

Question 33

In the adult human brain, approximately 700 new neurons are created each day in:
A.
each hippocampus.
B.
the basal ganglia.
C.
the olfactory bulbs.
D.
the cingulate gyrus.

Answer 33

A.
each hippocampus.

Question 34

One early warning sign for the possibility of a young child having an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is:
A.
a decline in expressed empathy toward other children by age 20 months.
B.
a decline in eye contact between 2 and 6 months.
C.
an unusual need for visual stimulation.
D.
failure to have an attachment object by age 18 months.

Answer 34

B.
a decline in eye contact between 2 and 6 months.

Question 35

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) typically appears full-blown by the age of:
A.
3 years.
B.
8 months.
C.
8 years.
D.
3 months.

Answer 35

A.
3 years.

Question 36

The MOST prevalent childhood neurological disorder is:
A.
dyspraxia.
B.
autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
C.
Down syndrome.
D.
Williams syndrome.

Answer 36

B.
autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Question 37

As compared to other infants, infants with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) spend LESS time looking at:
A.
faces.
B.
animals.
C.
their own bodies.
D.
moving objects.

Answer 37

A.
faces.

Question 38

Williams syndrome is associated with a variety of health problems related to the:
A.
lungs.
B.
heart.
C.
lymphatic system.
D.
liver.

Answer 38

B.
heart.

Question 39

Many patients with Williams syndrome have:
A.
a mutation of the elastin gene.
B.
a mutation of the collagen gene.
C.
both copies of chromosome 3.
D.
an extra arm on chromosome 5.

Answer 39

A.
a mutation of the elastin gene.