Alzheimer’s disease

Question 1

alzheimers disease

Answer 1

is a neurodegenerative disorder characterised by the gradual widespread degeneration of brain neurons. causing memory decline.

it is age-related, but not a normal part of the ageing process.

Question 2

Alzheimer’s disease
STM

Answer 2

Cortical areas tend to be damaged first, which disrupts STM.

Question 3

Alzheimer’s disease
LTM

Answer 3

As the disease progresses to deeper parts of the brain such as the hippocampus and surrounding medial temporal lobe areas, LTM is increasingly impaired.

Question 4

Alzheimers disease
explicit memory

Answer 4

Explicit episodic and semantic memories are mainly affected.

Implicit memories tend to remain intact or are less severely affected

Studies have found significant impairments when asked to imagine novel experiences;
e.g. when asked to imagine the future by mentally constructing a hypothetical event or scenario.

Question 5

Aphantasia

Answer 5

is the absence of visual imagery, despite being otherwise healthy.

it is considered a normal variation in human experience.
they can live full and professional lives.

Question 6

post-mortem studies

Answer 6

reduced areas of activity through neuronal loss compared to the scan of the normal brain. The lack of activity is most significant in the temporal and parietal lobes.

abnormal protein builds up within and between the neurons, disrupting their functions.