Question 1

Which of the following is ideal to stimulate brain growth in babies?

Accepted Answer

A)   Trick question, brain growth and catch up growth is possible at any age
B)   Everyday interactions with caregivers, siblings and the wider world
C)   Vocabulary-based and other educational media
D)   Giving many opportunities for experience-dependent learning to occur, since the brain becomes less capable of experience-dependent learning with age B

Question 2

A neuron is made up of which of the following parts?

Accepted Answer

A)   Glial cell, axon, cell body, myelin
B)   Dendrites, axon, cell body, terminal buttons
C)   Myelin, glial cell, axon, dendrites
D)   Cell body, terminal buttons, dendrites, myelin B

Question 3

Which of the following is not correct? Myelin:

Accepted Answer

A)   Is responsible for almost half of the brain's volume
B)   Fails to grow beyond infancy, and is thus involved in the synaptic pruning process
C)   Is the insulating layer that covers the axons of neurons to increase the neuron's efficiency
D)   Provides a track along which the regrowth of certain fibres is possible and is thus involved in the process of nerve regeneration B

Question 4

Children with dyslexia, a reading disorder, process spatial information in which part of the brain?

Accepted Answer

A)   Equally, across both hemispheres
B)   The right side of the brain
C)   The left side of the brain
D)   They do not process spatial information

Question 5

Which of the following terms is used to describe the process whereby the brain disposes of a neuron's connections to other neurons in order to make space for important skills and information.

Accepted Answer

A)   Neuronal death
B)   Plasticity
C)   Synaptic pruning
D)   Neuron proliferation

Question 6

Which parts of the brain are referred to as the reptilian brain?

Accepted Answer

A)   The occipital and parietal lobs
B)   Limbic structures
C)   Cerebrum
D)   Brain stem and cerebellum

Question 7

Invariance hypothesis is best represented by which of the following statements?

Accepted Answer

A)   Where the two halves of the brain become specialised to carry out specific functions
B)   The lack of change in the organisation of function across the two hemispheres of the brain
C)   Relates changes in brain structure to other developmental changes
D)   Representative of hemispheric lateralization

Question 8

Plasticity is a term that defines:

Accepted Answer

A)   The process by which neurons are covered with an insulation layer
B)   The way in which neurons are provided with structural support
C)   Compensation by the brain for early damage by replacing lost connections or transferring functions to other areas of the brain
D)   Synaptic pruning

Question 9

The cerebral cortex is made up of four lobes. Which is NOT one of these lobes?

Accepted Answer

A)   Frontal lobe
B)   Parietal lobe
C)   Occipital lobe
D)   Orbital lobe

Exam 5: The Biological Foundations of Development II: The Developing Brain