Deck 10: Spinal Cord

Question 1

During an examination of a 31-year-old woman in her second trimester, the obstetrician notes that in addition to the presence of the meninges, there is also neural tissue present in the Spina bifida cystica. What is the most accurate description of this defect?

A) Meningomyelocele
B) Meningoencephalocele
C) Myeloschisis
D) Meningocele
E) Holoprosencephaly

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Several days after birth the pediatrician notes that an infant has craniofacial abnormalities and is having difficulty suckling. After further discussion with the mother, the pediatrician learns that the mother has a history of alcohol abuse. Which of the following most accurately characterizes this baby's condition?

A) Anencephaly
B) Fetal alcohol syndrome
C) Microcephaly
D) Arnold-Chiari malformation
E) Hydrocephalus

Answer 2

B

Question 3

During her second trimester of pregnancy a 31-year-old woman visits her obstetrician for an ultrasound scan. The obstetrician explains to the woman that several vertebral arches have not formed and a fluid-filled cyst is protruding from the lumbosacral region of the fetus. An in utero surgery is scheduled for the third trimester. Which of the following most accurately characterizes these birth defects?

A) Anencephaly
B) Microcephaly
C) Spina bifida cystica
D) Aqueductal stenosis
E) Hydramnios

Answer 3

C

Question 4

A newborn infant is born with an abnormally small cranial vault as a result of underdevelopment of the brain. Which of the following most accurately characterizes this condition?

A) Exencephaly
B) Anencephaly
C) Microcephaly
D) Hydrocephaly
E) Holoprosencephaly

Question 5

Women who have folic acid deficiencies during pregnancy are more likely to give birth to children with which of the following?

A) Neural tube defects
B) Lissencephaly
C) Tethered cord syndrome
D) Achondroplasia
E) Cystic fibrosis

Question 6

Expression of which of the following is responsible for controlling ventral patterning of the central nervous system?

A) Bone morphogenetic protein
B) Retinoic acid
C) Sonic hedgehog
D) Fibroblast growth factor
E) Homeobox genes

Question 7

The developmental disorder characterized by an absence of ganglion cells in the distal colon is most accurately characterized as which of the following?

A) Rectourethral fistula
B) Omphalocele
C) Imperforate anus
D) Hirschsprung's disease
E) Pyloric stenosis

Question 8

A magnetic resonance scan of a 1-year-old girl indicates an obstruction of the aqueduct of Sylvius. This patient is most likely suffering from which of the following?

A) Hydrocephaly
B) Meningocele
C) Anencephaly
D) Exencephaly

Question 9

Posterior root ganglia of the spinal nerves arise from which of the following?

A) Notochord
B) Endoderm
C) Paraxial mesoderm
D) Splanchnic mesoderm
E) Neural crest cells

Question 10

What three dilations form at the cephalic end of the neural tube at four weeks?

A) Telencephalon, rhombencephalon, metencephalon
B) Prosencephalon, mesencephalon, rhombencephalon
C) Myelencephalon, metencephalon, mesencephalon
D) Rhombencephalon, prosencephalon, diencephalon

Question 11

The neural folds of the embryonic disk fold medially, eventually fusing to form the neural tube. Fusion progresses in which of the following directions?

A) Caudally to cranially
B) It all fuses at once
C) Cranially to caudally
D) Medially to craniocaudally