Page 41-45 Flashcards
What is the classical finding in the cognitive neuroscience of aging regarding fluid and crystallized intelligence?
Older adults typically show decreased fluid intelligence (capacity to learn new problem-solving methods) but maintained or increased crystallized intelligence (accumulated knowledge).
What is the distinction between fluid intelligence and crystallized intelligence?
Fluid intelligence refers to the capacity to learn new ways of solving problems, while crystallized intelligence involves knowledge accumulated through life, culture, and education.
How do older adults compensate for decreased processing speed in cognitive tasks, according to Salthouse?
Salthouse proposed mechanisms, including limited time mechanisms and simultaneity mechanisms, to explain decreased processing speed. Older adults may trade speed for accuracy.
According to the Loss of Inhibitory Control theory, what contributes to performance deficits in older adults?
Performance deficits are attributed to difficulties in inhibiting irrelevant and distracting information, leading to increased interference and reaction times.
How does the brain compensate for loss of inhibitory control in older adults during a go/no-go task?
Older adults show over-recruitment and increased neural activity associated with processing interfering information. This over-processing may be advantageous in tasks where previously irrelevant information becomes relevant.
How is sensory processing linked to cognitive decline in older adults?
Sensory processing deficits, especially hearing loss, may contribute to cognitive decline through mechanisms like common pathology, impoverished input, occupation of cognitive resources, and function-pathology interaction.
What is the role of reduced processing resources in cognitive aging, according to Gazzaley et al. (2005)?
Reduced processing resources, particularly in inhibitory control in working memory, lead to deficits in suppressing irrelevant information, as observed in fMRI studies.
What is the macroscopic effect of the loss of neurons and brain cells in aging?
Atrophy is the macroscopic effect, leading to the destruction of white matter connections. The brain begins to shrink in the 40s, with accelerated shrinking in the 60s.
Which brain region is particularly vulnerable to aging, and how does it compensate for damage?
The frontal cortex is vulnerable to aging but can compensate for damage and pathological mechanisms, contributing to good cognitive functioning for a longer period.
According to the Brain Reserve concept, how can individual brain differences influence one’s ability to cope with brain pathology?
Individual brain differences, such as having a larger brain with more neurons and synapses, may allow some individuals to cope better with brain pathology.
What is the macroscopic effect of the loss of neurons and brain cells in aging?
A) Neurogenesis.
B) Atrophy.
C) Enhanced connectivity.
D) Synaptic pruning.
B) Atrophy.
What is Neural Reserve, as described in the Cognitive Reserve model?
A) The preservation of neural structures in the aging brain.
B) Inter-individual variability in cognitive abilities.
C) The over-activation of neural circuits.
D) The compensatory use of alternative neural networks.
B) Inter-individual variability in cognitive abilities.
In the context of the Cognitive Reserve model, what does Neural Compensation refer to?
A) Increased neural activity in specific brain regions.
B) The ability to preserve neural structures.
C) Compensation by using alternative neural networks.
D) Neural resistance to apoptosis.
C) Compensation by using alternative neural networks.
How does an enriching lifestyle, such as higher education, impact the Cognitive Reserve?
A) It has no impact on Cognitive Reserve.
B) It depletes Neural Compensation.
C) It counteracts the impact of brain pathology on cognition.
D) It accelerates age-related cognitive decline.
C) It counteracts the impact of brain pathology on cognition.
What is the Posterior-Anterior Shift with Aging (PASA) Model focused on?
A) Increased visual processing in older adults.
B) Enhanced posterior brain activity in younger adults.
C) Increased prefrontal activity in older adults during memory tasks.
D) Unchanged brain activity patterns across age groups.
C) Increased prefrontal activity in older adults during memory tasks.
