Brain Development

Question 1

Ectoderm

Answer 1

Forms neural plate –> neural tube

Question 2

Ventricular zone

Answer 2

Interior of neural tube.

Where cells proliferate and migrate from

Question 3

Radial glia

Answer 3

Guide migrating early neurons out of ventricular zone.

Question 4

Cell adhesion molecules (CAMs)

Answer 4

Control where cells go

Influenced by chemical attractants/repellants released by target tissues

Question 5

Induction

Answer 5

Influence of neighboring cells on neighbors.
Allows other cells to step in if some get damaged during development
Ex. Notochord and secreting Sh

Question 6

Growth cones

Answer 6

On dendrites in direction of growth, have Filopodia

Question 7

Apoptosis

Answer 7

Presynaptic cell will die if it doesn’t receive NGF (trophic factor) from postsynaptic

Question 8

Critical time for neuron migration during prenatal development

Answer 8

12-18 weeks

Question 9

Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)

Answer 9

Facial abnormalities, smaller brains, corpus callosum smaller or missing - interruption of migration of cells

Question 10

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD)

Answer 10

Most extreme:
May lose language completely- echolalia.
Empathy problems- less mirror neurons, more activation of amygdala.
Repetitive stereotyped behaviors

Question 11

Down syndrome

Answer 11

Chromosomal defect. 
Low iq 
Heart problems 
Almost always get Alzheimer's 
Abnormal dendritic spines 
At birth brain looks normal

Question 12

Fragile X

Answer 12

Caused by a lab abnormal repeat of nucleotides.

Physical and mental abnormalities

Question 13

PKU

Answer 13

Metabolic disorder

Don’t have enzyme that breaks down phenylalanine

Question 14

Epigenetics

Answer 14

Ex rats and their mothers and stress response

Question 15

Aging

Answer 15

Stress on hippocampus causes cells there to become inactive and die (binding of stress hormones like cortisol)