Lecture 4

Which structure in the developing embryo gives rise to the brain and spinal cord?

• Neural crest

• Neural tube

• Ventricular zone

• Subventricular zone

Which of the following correctly describes the early brain's fluid-filled cavity?

• It later forms the meninges and cerebrospinal fluid.

• It is replaced entirely by white matter during maturation.

• It becomes the central canal of the spinal cord and the four ventricles of the brain.

• It degenerates after birth and has no known function.

Which of the following statements about brain weight is FALSE?

• At birth, the brain weighs approximately 350 grams.

• By one year of age, the brain weighs about 1000 grams.

• The adult brain weighs between 1200-1400 grams.

• Brain weight remains constant after birth.

Which of the following processes is responsible for producing new neurons in the brain?

• Synaptogenesis

• Apoptosis

• Proliferation

• Myelination

Which chemical signals are critical for guiding migrating neurons to their correct destinations?

• Serotonin and dopamine

• Immunoglobulins and chemokines

• Acetylcholine and glutamate

• Myelin and neurotrophins

According to Pasko Rakic’s research, what determines where neurons migrate in the cortex?

• A primitive map in the subventricular zone

• Random dispersion of cells in the neural tube

• Genetic instructions stored in myelin

• Growth hormones from glial cells

What is the first structure to form in a differentiating neuron?

• Synapses

• Dendrites

• Axon

• Myelin sheath

Where does myelination first begin in the nervous system?

• Forebrain

• Midbrain

• Hindbrain

• Spinal cord

Which of the following glial cells are responsible for producing myelin in the central nervous system?

• Schwann cells

• Astrocytes

• Oligodendrocytes

• Microglia

Which of the following statements about synaptogenesis is FALSE?

• It is the final stage of neural development.

• It continues throughout life, but at a slower rate with age.

• It only occurs during the fetal stage.

• It involves the formation of new synapses between neurons.