Critical & Sensitive Periods; Prenatal Development and Birth Flashcards
A ___________________ is a specific, predetermined period of time during biological maturation when an organism is particularly sensitive to certain stimuli that can have either a positive or negative impact on development.
Critical period.
_____________________ are longer in duration and more flexible than critical periods, and they are not tied as closely to chronological age and maturational stage.
Sensitive periods.
Prenatal development is divided into ___ stages.
3.
The first two weeks of prenatal development make up the ________________ stage. During this stage, the fertilized ovum is called a zygote.
Germinal.
The _______________ stage of prenatal development encompasses the beginning of the 3rd week through the 8th week.
Embryonic.
The __________________ stage of prenatal development begins at the onset of the 9th week and continues until birth.
Fetal.
22 pairs of chromosomes are referred to as _________________, while the 23rd pair contains _________ chromosomes.
- Autosomes
- Sex
_________________________ is an autosomal dominant gene disorder characterized by a combination of psychiatric, cognitive, and motor symptoms.
Huntington’s Disease.
Examples of ____________________ include cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease, Tay-Sachs disease, and phenylketonuria (PKU).
Recessive Gene Disorders.
Disorders due to a variation in chromosome number (________________) include Down Syndrome, Klinefelter Syndrome, and Turner Syndrome.
Aneuploidy.
__________________ is an autosomal disorder caused by the presence of an extra chromosome 21; it is characterized by mental retardation, retarded physical growth and motor development, distincitive physical features, and increased susceptibility to Alzheimer’s dementia, leukemia, and heart defects.
Down Syndrome.
__________________ occurs in males and is due to the presence of two or more X chromosomes along with a single Y chromosome; a male with this disorder has a small penis and testes, develops breasts during puberty, has limited interest in sexual activity, is often sterile, and may have learning disabilities.
Klinefelter Syndrome.
___________________ occurs in females and is caused by the presence of a single X chromosome; females with this disorder are short in stature, have characteristic physical features (e.g., drooping eyelids, webbed neck), have retarded or absent development of the secondary sex characteristics, and may exhibit certain cognitive defects.
Turner Syndrome.
A ___________________ occurs when part of a chromosome is missing.
Deletion.
___________________ is caused by a chromosomal deletion. Children with this disorder have some degree of mental retardation, are obese, and may exhibit obsessive-compulsive behaviors.
Prader-Willi Syndrome.
A _________________ is the transfer of a chromosome segment to another chromosome. A minority of Down’s Syndrome cases involve the attachment of chromosome 21 to another chromosome.
Translocation.
An ________________ occurs when a chromosome breaks in two places and the segment formed by the breaks inverts and reattaches to the chromosome; in humans they do not usually affect phenotype.
Inversion.
Exposure to teratogens during the ________________ is most likely to cause major structural abnormalities.
Embryonic Stage.
Characteristic symptoms of _________________ include facial abnormalities, retarded physical growth, heart, kidney, and liver defects, visual and hearing impairments, mental retardation, learning disabilities, and behavioral problems (e.g., hyperactivity, impulsivity, social withdrawal).
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS).
____________________ is more common than FAS; children with this disorder are less likely to have facial abnormalities and mental retardation but exhibit many other symptoms of FAS, though at a milder level.
Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE).
Regions of the brain most likely to be affected by FAS and FAE include the:
- Corpus callosum
- H_____________
- Hypothalamus
- Cerebellum
- B________________
- Frontal lobes
- Hippocampus
- Basal ganglia
___________________ use by pregnant women increases the risk of spontaneous abortion and stillbirth; infants born are at high risk for SIDS, seizures, low birthweight, and reduced head circumference. They often exhibit tremors, an exaggerated startle response, a high-pitched cry, sleep and feeding difficulties, and developmental delays; they tend to be irritable and difficult to comfort.
Cocaine.
____________________ is associated with placental abnormalities that can cause fetal death and stillbirth; infants are at higher risk for low birthweight, SIDS, and respiratory diseases, and may have emotional and social disturbances and cognitive deficits.
Cigarette smoking.
Exposure to ____________ during prenatal development is associated with a low birthweight and mental retardation.
Lead.
If a pregnant woman is infected with _______________, especially during the first trimester, the infant is at high risk for heart defects, blindness, deafness, and mental retardation.
Rubella.
_______________________is passed through an infected woman to her fetus through the placenta; approximately 1% of all newborns are infected; 10% of these have symptoms at birth (low birthweight, petechial rash, microencephaly, enlarged liver/spleen, retinal inflammation, calcium depositis in the brain) while 20-30% die perinatally. 80-90% of symptomatic newborns and 10-15% of infected but aysmptomatic newborns develop neurological symptoms in the first few months to years of life (e.g., mental retardation, hearing and visual impairments).
Cytomegalovirus (CMV).
The risk that an infected mother will transmit HIV to her infant is estimated to be between ___ and ___%. Perinatal administration of AZT during preganacy and delivery reduces this risk.
35 and 60%.
Babies with ________ are frequently small for gestational age, and most show multiple signs of the virus during the first year of life (e.g., greater-than-normal susceptibility to infections, enlarged liver and spleen, swollen lymph nodes, oral candidiasis). In early childhood, they have immunologic abnormalities and delays in phsyical and cognitive development. With antiviral treatment, 1/3 survive to age 8 or beyond.
HIV.
____________________ during prenatal development is associated with miscarriage, stillbirth, and low birth weight, and may result in suppression of the immune system, mental retardation, and other serious problems.
Malnutrition.
Severe malnutrition (esp. ______________ deficiency) during the 3rd trimester is particularly detrimental for the developing brain and can lead to a reduced number of neurons, reduced myelinization, and neurotransmitter abnormalities.
Protein.
A lack of ____________ during prenatal development can result in spina bifida or other neural tube defect.
Folic acid.
Prolonged _______________ during pregnancy places a woman at higher risk for miscarriage, painful labor, premature delivery, and her baby is more likely to have a low birthweight, be hyperactive and irritable, and to exhibit irregular feeding, sleeping, and bowel habits. This can be mitigated by the presence of adequate support prior to and during pregnancy.
Emotional stress.
An infant born less than ___ weeks after conception is considered premature or pre-term.
37.
When a newborn’s weight is below the ___th percentile for his/her gestational age, the infant is small-for-gestational age (SGA).
10th.
SGA infants are at high risk for:
- ___________ during birth
- Respiratory disease
- Hypoglycemia
- ____________ disabilities
- ADHD
- Asphyxia
- Learning
During birth, consequences of _______________ include delayed motor and cognitive development, mental retardation, and, in severe cases, cerebral palsy.
Prolonged anoxia (oxygen shortage).
When an infant is exposed to _______________ during the birth process, there is a high risk for death, brain damage, or blindness. Thus, women with this disease typically deliver through Cesarean Section.
Herpes Simplex 2.
