Chapter 15

Question 1

brain of adults and older adults retain

Answer 1

the ability to adapt and change (plasticity)

Question 2

PA is beneficial for

Answer 2

cognition in general and specially executive functions

Question 3

ex of executive functions

Answer 3

working memory (phone number)
episodic memory (what happened on the wknd)
goal setting (what to do today)
sustaining attention (reading)
switching task (making supper and doing dishes)

Question 4

what two parts of the brain decay in late adulthood

Answer 4

hippocampus and basal ganglia

Question 5

Randomized control trial

Answer 5

60-75 year old 
walking group/controlled group 
6 months 
cognitive and physical assessment 
improved cognitive function -frequent walking

Question 6

aerobic fitness and brain

Answer 6

1. VO2 max peek

2. volume hippocampus

Question 7

meta analysis of aerobic fitness and brain

Answer 7

consistent with previous study
general effect- cognition
special effect- executive function
(hippocampus and frontal lobes)

Question 8

how much PA is need for aerobic fitness and brain

Answer 8

moderate activity
3 days a week for 6 months
also benefits higher intensity

Question 9

a few intervention studies also have found mild cognitive impairments and Alzheimer

Answer 9

6 month intervention

mixed results- overall improvement

Question 10

older adults with demetia

Answer 10

1) increase cognition
2) grey and white matter increase
3) improved brain function

Question 11

plausible mechanism three levels

Answer 11

1. molecular mechanism
2. cognitive mechanism
3. socioemotional mechanism

Question 12

molecular mechanisms

Answer 12

-voluntary exercise in animals 
3 main options:
1. neurogenesis
2. angiogenesis
3. increased neurotransmitter and neurotrophic factors 
brain- derived neurotrophic

Question 13

morris water maze

Answer 13

learning a maze requires animal to use hippocampus
rat in maze, find board
learn the task faster when they have a wheel

Question 14

animal models

Answer 14

animal models for alzhemiers for reduced presence of disease
animal model for parkinson also show benefit for exercise

Question 15

evidence (from animal studies) for

Answer 15

neurogenesis

Question 16

new neurons and better survival in

Answer 16

hippocampus

Question 17

young and older animals

Answer 17

old do improve

Question 18

evidence for angiogenesis with

Answer 18

exercise (may not protect against stroke)

Question 19

cognitive neuron science

Answer 19

early evidence
better communication between brain areas
older adults with higher VO2 max had better connectivity between brain areas
white matter also increases with PA
increase connectivity related to better performance on executive function tasks

Question 20

in humans PA..

Answer 20

1) increase communcations between brain area
2) enhances vasculature
3) improves how frontal cortext functions
4) reduce prevalance of alzhiemers

Question 21

more fit people =

Answer 21

more grey matter

Question 22

socioemotional mechanism

Answer 22

exercise –> mood
mood –> cognition
exercise –> mood –> cognition

Question 23

what we dont know about PA and cognition

Answer 23

new area, alot more that is unknown
early evidence that PA improves cognition
early evidence that PA may minimize age- related and disease related decline

Question 24

anti-depressant

Answer 24

treat attention defict hyperacticity disorder

• autism spectrum disorder
• prevent / treat alzheimers
• parkison disease
• early evidence improved exective function and motor control

Question 25

what types of studies are promising

Answer 25

cohort studies, control studies, and early experimental trials