Unit 4 - Brain Aging Flashcards
Neuron number/density _________ slightly with age.
decreases
Older adults have _______ ventricles, _______ gray matter, and brain volume declines approximately ___% per decade after 40.
larger, less, 5%
As we age there are decreases in _________ cortex and _________ volume.
frontal, hippocampus
As we age there are decreases in __________ and _________.
basal ganglia, cerebellum
As we age _______ matter also changes, especially in the prefrontal cortex.
white
__________ declines with aging due to changes in receptors and availability.
dopamine
Declines in dopamine are associated with poorer ___________ and _________ functions.
goal-directed, motor
Dopamine neuron loss is accelerated in patients with __________ disease.
Parkinson’s
___________ loss is associated with memory decline in aging (especially in Alzheimer’s Disease)
Acetylcholine
Abnormal __________ processing is related to cognitive decline in aging .
serotonin
Aging causes decline in ________ cognitive functions, while crystallized functions are spared.
fluid
Decrease in __________ functioning is due to reduced volume, white matter, and function of prefrontal cortex.
executive
Specific structural changes, such as loss of tissue in the __________, may result in memory decline.
hippocampus
There is increased processing of ___________ emotional information as we age.
positive
There is ________ emotional regulation with age.
better
__________ memory tends to show a general decline with age, but there is individual variability.
working
The longitudinal “nun study” showed that ___________ at young age was predictive of Alzheimer’s Disease 60 years later.
writing
The ability of individuals to cope with advancing brain pathology through either a set of acquired skills or inherent abilities (e.g., education, IQ, occupation, lifestyle factors)
Cognitive reserve
Brain __________ is enhanced by aerobic exercise, even in older adults.
plasticity
There are increases in brain ___________ with exercise in aging.
volume
Some _________ may be associated with a healthier brain, such as B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, etc.
nutrients
Studies in animals suggest that caloric ___________ can increase lifespan.
restriction
C. elegans increased lifespan by up to ___%.
40
A persistent permanent disorder characterized by by cognitive behavioral deficits, often associated with progressive brain degeneration.
Dementia
Dementia is not a single disease, but a cluster of ____________.
conditions
________ is the most common form of dementia.
AD
AD makes up for ____-___% of dementia cases
60-80
____% of nursing home patients have AD or related disorder
50
__________, or neuritic plaques, are accumulations of beta-amyloid protein
Beta-amyloid plaques
_____________ can cause damage by causing neural disruptions & death, inflammatory responses, and vascular effects.
Beta-amyloid plaques
Plaques are found in the brain of healthy older adults, but higher levels are seen in patients with ________ in the hippocampus and cortex.
AD
Accumulations of tau protein filaments
Neurofibrillary tangles
In patients with AD, chemical changes to tau cause tau molecules to bind together and form threads inside neurons. These block ___________ and harm synaptic _____________.
transport, communication
Damage to cells in the basal forebrain of patients with AD cause decreases in __________ function, which is related to memory and attention impairments.
acetylcholine
AD before age 65; generally symptoms develop in 40s and 50s. Usually genetically linked.
Early-onset AD
The _________ of late-onset AD suggests that issues with the brain’s blood supply contributes to the development and progression of AD.
vascular
What is the most effective strategy of treating AD?
behavioral
Older adults who have the cognitive abilities of much younger individuals
super agers
