Unit 4 - Brain Aging

Question 1

Neuron number/density _________ slightly with age.

Answer 1

decreases

Question 2

Older adults have _______ ventricles, _______ gray matter, and brain volume declines approximately ___% per decade after 40.

Answer 2

larger, less, 5%

Question 3

As we age there are decreases in _________ cortex and _________ volume.

Answer 3

frontal, hippocampus

Question 4

As we age there are decreases in __________ and _________.

Answer 4

basal ganglia, cerebellum

Question 5

As we age _______ matter also changes, especially in the prefrontal cortex.

Answer 5

white

Question 6

__________ declines with aging due to changes in receptors and availability.

Answer 6

dopamine

Question 7

Declines in dopamine are associated with poorer ___________ and _________ functions.

Answer 7

goal-directed, motor

Question 8

Dopamine neuron loss is accelerated in patients with __________ disease.

Answer 8

Parkinson’s

Question 9

___________ loss is associated with memory decline in aging (especially in Alzheimer’s Disease)

Answer 9

Acetylcholine

Question 10

Abnormal __________ processing is related to cognitive decline in aging .

Answer 10

serotonin

Question 11

Aging causes decline in ________ cognitive functions, while crystallized functions are spared.

Answer 11

fluid

Question 12

Decrease in __________ functioning is due to reduced volume, white matter, and function of prefrontal cortex.

Answer 12

executive

Question 13

Specific structural changes, such as loss of tissue in the __________, may result in memory decline.

Answer 13

hippocampus

Question 14

There is increased processing of ___________ emotional information as we age.

Answer 14

positive

Question 15

There is ________ emotional regulation with age.

Answer 15

better

Question 16

__________ memory tends to show a general decline with age, but there is individual variability.

Answer 16

working

Question 17

The longitudinal “nun study” showed that ___________ at young age was predictive of Alzheimer’s Disease 60 years later.

Answer 17

writing

Question 18

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)

Answer 18

Cognitive reserve

Question 19

Brain __________ is enhanced by aerobic exercise, even in older adults.

Answer 19

plasticity

Question 20

There are increases in brain ___________ with exercise in aging.

Answer 20

volume

Question 21

Some _________ may be associated with a healthier brain, such as B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, etc.

Answer 21

nutrients

Question 22

Studies in animals suggest that caloric ___________ can increase lifespan.

Answer 22

restriction

Question 23

C. elegans increased lifespan by up to ___%.

Answer 23

40

Question 24

A persistent permanent disorder characterized by by cognitive behavioral deficits, often associated with progressive brain degeneration.

Answer 24

Dementia

Question 25

Dementia is not a single disease, but a cluster of ____________.

Answer 25

conditions

Question 26

________ is the most common form of dementia.

Answer 26

AD

Question 27

AD makes up for ____-___% of dementia cases

Answer 27

60-80

Question 28

____% of nursing home patients have AD or related disorder

Answer 28

50

Question 29

__________, or neuritic plaques, are accumulations of beta-amyloid protein

Answer 29

Beta-amyloid plaques

Question 30

_____________ can cause damage by causing neural disruptions & death, inflammatory responses, and vascular effects.

Answer 30

Beta-amyloid plaques

Question 31

Plaques are found in the brain of healthy older adults, but higher levels are seen in patients with ________ in the hippocampus and cortex.

Answer 31

AD

Question 32

Accumulations of tau protein filaments

Answer 32

Neurofibrillary tangles

Question 33

In patients with AD, chemical changes to tau cause tau molecules to bind together and form threads inside neurons. These block ___________ and harm synaptic _____________.

Answer 33

transport, communication

Question 34

Damage to cells in the basal forebrain of patients with AD cause decreases in __________ function, which is related to memory and attention impairments.

Answer 34

acetylcholine

Question 35

AD before age 65; generally symptoms develop in 40s and 50s. Usually genetically linked.

Answer 35

Early-onset AD

Question 36

The _________ of late-onset AD suggests that issues with the brain’s blood supply contributes to the development and progression of AD.

Answer 36

vascular

Question 37

What is the most effective strategy of treating AD?

Answer 37

behavioral

Question 38

Older adults who have the cognitive abilities of much younger individuals

Answer 38

super agers