Brain development

What is a blastocyst?

A developing embryo.

What is the rhombencephalon?

The pons, cerebellum, and medulla.

What is the myelencephalon?

The medulla.

What does the endoderm layer become?

The digestive tracts.

Which layer generates our reproductive organs?

The mesoderm.

What forms into our brain and spinal cord?

The ectoderm forming the neural tube.

At what point do cells become a blastocyst?

At 32+ cells.

What is the name for the cells which go on to become an embryo?

Inner cell mass.

What is the cause of anencephaly?

Failure to close the upper neural tube.

What is a neuroblast?

A cell which can become any cell within the nervous system.

How do neurons migrate?

Via radial glia.

What is a growth cone?

Allows axon growth.

What is the chemoaffinity hypothesis?

Chemical marks on axons match their target.

Order the following concepts in their chronological order during development:

Cranial Nerves

Primary Vesicles

Blastocyst

Neural Plate

Gastrula

Neural Tube

Chronological order: Blastocyst, Gastrula, Neural Plate, Neural Tube, Primary Vesicles, Cranial Nerves.

In Foetal Alcohol Syndrome, grey matter in frontal cortices is replaced by white matter during adolescence. True or False?

True.

Children with Autism Spectrum Condition might display superior perceptual skills, because of:

Increased local integration.

ADHD is characterized by _____ in cortical maturation especially in ——- cortices caused by _____ during brain development.

A delay; frontal; dopamine dysregulation.

What causes Spina Bifida?

Lower part of neural tube fails to close

What does the Ectoderm consist of

The Nervous System, eyes, skin, hair, nails

What does the Mesoderm consist of?

Muscle, bones, heart, blood vessels, kidney, genitals

What does the Endoderm consist of?

Digestion, respiration, excretion system

At what age is the period of rapid growth in terms of brain size?

Birth- 2 years

What age does brain growth start to slow down (plateau)?

Around 4

What is proliferation?

Mass production of neurons, genesis of new cells

What is migration?

Neurons move in a large group to different places or different layers of the brain.

What is differentiation?

After these newly created neurons eventually move into their respective destination, they start to show morphological changes that make them look more like their neighbour neurons

What is synaptogenesis?

Neurons start to form axons and dendrites, intertwined with one another, creating a complex network of synapse

What is myelination?

A layer of fatty tissue which covers a neuron’s axon and makes the transmission of action potential more efficient

What is arborisation?

The further growth of dendrites, where any new branches of dendrites start to grow and makes new contacts with axon terminal.

What is Nerve Growth Factor?

Protein/nutrient that promotes neuronal growth