Question 1

Which of the following best explains why individuals exposed to famine in utero during the Dutch Winter Hunger had higher rates of obesity and metabolic disorders later in life?

Accepted Answer

Acute stress during early pregnancy caused DNA methylation of key metabolic genes, leading to long-term changes in gene expression.

Question 2

Phenotypic plasticity is best defined as:

Accepted Answer

The capacity of a genotype to adjust its phenotype depending on environmental conditions.

Question 3

Which equation correctly represents the Law of Additivity of Variances, including genetic variation for plasticity?

Accepted Answer

$$VT = VG + VE + VGxE$$

Question 4

A population of beetles shows variation in horn size depending on larval nutrition. Some males develop large horns, while others do not. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Phenotypic plasticity with a developmental switch

Question 5

Why does the 'mismatch' phenomenon occur more frequently when environmental changes are rapid?

Accepted Answer

Because phenotypic plasticity mechanisms may not switch back quickly enough to match the new environment.

Question 6

According to the Hygiene Hypothesis, why are autoimmune disorders and allergies more common in modern, sterile environments?

Accepted Answer

Reduced exposure to microbes and parasites leads to hyperactive immune systems.

Question 7

Which of the following is an example of a reversible phenotypic switch?

Accepted Answer

A squirrel switching between feeding and escaping when a predator approaches.

Question 8

Why do athletes sometimes train at high altitudes before competing at low altitudes?

Accepted Answer

To acclimate their physiology to low oxygen, which temporarily enhances performance when returning to high oxygen environments.

Question 9

Which of the following statements about DNA methylation is TRUE in the context of the Dutch Winter Hunger study?

Accepted Answer

DNA methylation can silence key metabolic genes, and these changes can persist across multiple generations.

Question 10

A population has $$VG = 0.4$$, $$VE = 0.3$$, and $$VGxE = 0.2. $$What is the total phenotypic variance ($$VT$$)?

Accepted Answer

$$VT = 0.9$$

Question 11

Which of the following best describes why some cultures experience higher rates of metabolic diseases after adopting Westernized diets?

Accepted Answer

Their physiological state is still 'switched' to starvation mode due to recent historical exposure to famine, leading to mismatch with high-calorie diets.

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT a mechanism by which phenotypic plasticity can occur?

Accepted Answer

Random genetic drift

Question 13

Why is it difficult to 'fix' the mismatch caused by DNA methylation from early-life famine exposure?

Accepted Answer

The methylation state is stable and can persist across generations, making reversal slow or impossible with current technology.

Question 14

Which of the following best illustrates the concept of gene-environment interaction ($$VGxE$$)?

Accepted Answer

Different genotypes respond differently to the same environmental stimulus, leading to variation in phenotypic outcomes.

Question 15

A researcher is studying a population where some individuals develop an immune disorder only when raised in sterile environments, but not when raised in microbe-rich environments. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

A gene-environment interaction leading to phenotypic plasticity

Question 16

Which of the following is a real-world application of evolutionary medicine based on the Hygiene Hypothesis?

Accepted Answer

Treating Crohn’s disease patients with controlled exposure to helminth worms to modulate immune responses.

Question 17

Why can phylogenetic approaches be useful in tracking the origins of new diseases?

Accepted Answer

They can reconstruct the evolutionary history and transmission pathways of pathogens.

Question 18

Which of the following scenarios best demonstrates a mismatch due to slow reversal of a plastic mechanism?

Accepted Answer

A population experiencing high rates of diabetes after a rapid shift to a Western diet, while their physiology is still adapted to famine conditions.

Question 19

Which of the following statements about predispositions to diseases like diabetes or depression is supported by the study materials?

Accepted Answer

Predispositions increase the probability of disease given certain environmental exposures, but outcomes are heavily influenced by environment.

Question 20

Which of the following best describes why some plastic mechanisms, such as the locust's switch between solitary and gregarious states, are particularly vulnerable to mismatch?

Accepted Answer

Because switching back takes multiple generations, allowing the environment to change faster than the phenotype can adjust.

Evolutionary Medicine: Phenotypic Plasticity, Mismatch, and Human Health

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