Effects of Brain Trauma Flashcards
What causes brain trauma?
When an external or internal force inflicts damage on the brain
e.g. car crash, abuse, falls
e.g. neurodegenerative
How does brain surgery effect functioning?
the area damaged can be operated on but damage may be permanent
the surgery can interrupt processing of memory or interactions between the brain regions
What is Anterograde amnesia?
Brain trauma to the hippocampus
New explicit memories cannot be processed and remembered
This means the person can remember everything that happened before the event but not after
what is a neurodegenerative disease?
a disease characterised by the progressive loss of neurons in the brain
What is Alzheimer’s disease?
a neurodegenerative disease in the hippocampus and spreads to cerebral cortex
causes anterograde amnesia and cannot create new LTM
seen by worsening memory
Is anterograde amnesia caused by external or internal damage?
external
Is Alzheimer’s disease caused by internal or external damage?
internal
How does neurodegenerative disease effect memory?
damage and loss of neurons in brain disrupts storage and encoding of memories to LTM because there aren’t enough neurons to create a smooth process
this causes difficulty remembering or consolidating memories at all
What psychological symptoms are seen in Alzheimer’s disease?
less cognitive function - ability to plan, organise, problem solve, logically think are all impaired
Mood and emotional mood swings
easily confused and disoriented
difficulty with language
What biological symptoms are seen in Alzheimer’s disease?
amyloid plaques - build up of plaque around neurons which inhibits neuron communication
Neurofibrillary tangles - protein builds up and tangles in neurons, stopping transport of essential substances for the neuron, which kills it eventually
