Which of These Is the Best Example of a Critical

question 11

Multiple Choice

Which of these is the best example of a critical period?

• A) A young hawk that does not acquire hunting skills rapidly enough will likely starve to death by the end of its first year.
• B) A juvenile songbird will learn to produce an abnormal song unless it is exposed to adult songs between 6 and 12 weeks of age.
• C) Deprivation of social contact for at least 2 weeks, at any point in the life of a rodent, will lead to subsequent aggression and inappropriate attachment after the isolation period ends.
• D) In a rodent, exposure to calcium and vitamin D during development are needed for optimal cognitive function.
• E) During prenatal development, or juvenile development prior to adolescence, treatment of a female bird with androgen hormones will tend to produce male-like courtship behaviors as an adult.

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Definitions:

Acetylcholine

A neurotransmitter involved in many functions including muscle contraction, sleep regulation, and the modulation of memory in the nervous system.

Neurotransmitter

Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that transmit signals across the synaptic gap from one neuron to another, influencing mental function and behavior.

Dopamine

A neurotransmitter in the brain that plays a crucial role in reward, motivation, and motor control.

Drug Molecule

A drug molecule is a chemical compound that has therapeutic effects or can be used in the development of pharmaceuticals.