Chapter #2: Neuroscience As a Basis for Adult Development & Aging Flashcards
Neuroscience
the study of the brain; specifically the plasticity of aging
Neuroimaging
a set of techniques in which pictures of the brain are taken in various ways to provide understanding of both normal and abnormal cognitive aging
Structural Neuroimaging
highly detailed images of anatomical features of the brain
* X-rays, CT scans, and MRI
* shows specific structures at a point in time
Functional Neuroimaging
provides indication of brain activity
* SPECT, PET, fMRI
* shows what parts of the brain are active when people do specific tasks
What are the advantages to the study of aging with Neurosciene?
- Development of new interventions
- Protects adults from exploitation
- Can test models of cognitive aging
Neuropsychological Approach
compares brain functioning of healthy adults to individual displaying various disorders in the brain
Neuro-Correlational Approach
attempts to relate measures of cognitive performance to measures of brain structure/functioning
* correlation does not equal causation
Activation Imaging Approach
attempts to directly link functional brain activity with cognitive behvioral data
* real time investigation
Compensatory Changes
change that allows older adults to adapt to the inevitable behavioral decline resulting from changes in specific areas of the brain
Neurons
a brain cell; brain is made up of them
Dendrites
receives signals from other nearby neurons
Axon
transmits information from cell body to terminal branches
Terminal Branches
endpoints in a neuron that helps transmit signals across the synapse
Neurotransmitters
chemical messengers that carry information signals between neurons across the synapse
Synapse
the gap between neurons
Neuroanatomy
the study of the structure of the brain
Cerebral Cortex
the outermost region of the brain
Consists of left and right hemispheres
Corpus Callosum
thick bundles of nerves that connects the hemispheres of the cerebral cortex
Prefrontal & Frontal Cortex
prt of the frontal lobe that is involvd in executive functioning
Executive Functions
the ability to make and carry out plans, switch between tasks, and maintain attention and focus
Cerebellum
back of the brain
associated with motor functioning and balance
Hippocampus
in the middle of the brain
plays a key role in memory and learning
Limbic System
set of brain structures involved with emotions, motivation, and LTM
Amygdala
plays a role in emotion
What age-related changes occurs in neurons?
- As we age, the number of neurons in the brain declines
- Decreases in size and number of dendrites
- Tangles in the axon fibers; severs connections
- Plague; increase deposits of proteins
Dopamine
a neurotransmitter associated with higher-level cognitive functioning
* inhibits thoughts, attention, planning, emotion, pleasure, and pain
Dopaminergic System
neuronal system that use dopamine as their major neurotransmitter
* Effective functioning declines in normal aging
Declines in the dopaminergic system include…
- Short term and working memory efficiency loss
- declines in several aspects of memory
Serotonin
involved in several types of brain processing
* memory, mood, appetite, and sleep
Abnormal processing of Serotonin is associated with what?
Cognitive decline in moral aging
Alzheimer’s
Acethylcholine
important role in arousal, sensory perception, and sustaining attention
White Matter
neurons that are covered by myelin that serve to transmit information from one part of the brain to another
White Matter Hyperintesities
abnormalities in the brain often found in older adults
*Associated with cognitive decline
Neural Atrophy
brain shrinkage
the process is selective; executive functions show more shrinkage than sensory functions
Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI)
form of magnetic resonance imaging that assesses the rate and direction that water diffuses throguh white matter
Theory of Mind (ToM)
helps us understand that other people have beliefs, desires, ideas, feelings, intentions, and viewpoints that are different from our own
*Age related decline in 75+
Executive function failure in older adults may result in…
- Selection of irrelevent information as relevant
- inability to direct attention away from irrelevant information
- inefficiency in switching tasks
Changes in the hippocampus with memory is associated with…
- Declines in autobiographical memory and recognizing patterns
- Impacts on memory in the terms of Alzheimer’s
How does the Amygdala change?
Decreases in processing of negative emotional information
Increases in processing of positive emotional information
* Increased emotional regulation with age
Positivity Effect
the fact that older adults are more motivated to derive emotional meaning from life and to maintain positive feelings
* activation of amygdala is important
The Parieto-Frontal Integration Theory (P-FIT)
proposes that intelligence comes from a distributed and integrated network of neurons in the parietal and frontal areas of the brain
* predicts Fluid Intelligence
* accounts for individual differneces in intelligence as having their origins in individual differneces in brain structure and in function
How do older adults compensate for brain changes?
Bilaterial Activation is older adults is associated with higher performance across a number of tasks
HAROLD Model
explain the empirical findings or reduced lateralization in the prefrontal cortex lobe activity in older adults
What does the HAROLD Model suggest?
- The purpose of reduced lateralization with age is compensatory in nature
- recruiting additional neural units and using them to increase functioning
CRUNCH Model
describes how the aging brain adapts to neurological decline by recruiting additional neural circuits to perform tasks adequately
What does the CRUNCH model suggest?
- When task demands are increased, more activationcab be found in the same brain regions that is activated
- when different brain regions are activated to compensation for lacking or insufficent processing resources
PASA Model
from occipital to frontal processing is thought to reflect age related compensation
STAC-r Model
the idea that age-related changes in one’s ability to function reflect a life long process of compensating for cognitive decline by recruiting additional brain areas, and takes life-course factors that enhance or depleted neural resources
Default Network of the Brain
regions of the brain that are most active when one is at rest
* suggests that older adults create and rely on backup nerual pathway
* initial scaffolding remains as a secondary back up
Neural Resource Enrichment
any influence that serves to enhance brain structure or function
Neural Resource Depletion
refers to hose influences on the brain that are harmful
Plasticity
the changes in the structure and function of the brain as the result of interaction between the brain and the environment
Neural Stem Cells
cells in the brain and spinal cord that are thought to give rise to the borad array of specialized cells of the CNS
* Brain cells CAN regenerate underneath the right circumstances
What are 3 nurtuent biomarker patterns assocaited w/ cognitive function and brain volume
+ higher blood plasma of vitamins B, C, D, E
+ higher blood plasma of Omega-3
- high transfat
