Class notes
PLASTICITY
- Course
- Institution
Lecture notes of 3 pages for the course NEUROPSYCHOLOGY at UNN (LECUTRE 22/23)
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
hannahnewton21
Reviews received
Content preview
Lecture 22 – The Aging Brain (Plasticity)Structural changes;
- Slow but persistent rate of decline in volume of the brain (Kemper, 1994).
- Loss of brain cells (neurons) in primary aging is less than previously believed.
- But is linked now to the shrinkage of cell bodies and dendritic debranching instead.
- Loss of total number of neurons but not all loss translates to functional decline= Life-
long plasticity (new dendrites and pruning).
- Connectivity is also effect - Slowing of transmission across the synapses between
neurons. The speed at which the action potential travels down the axon impaired?
- Heterogenous = massive individual differences in how this changes occur and what
changes occur.
The Weight of the Human Brain during Development;
- Over production of nerve cell up to adulthood
- By seven new cells added quicker than old ones being
killed
- After this, the total neurons decrease but size and
complexity can increase past ninety.
- No biological causes of why this happens, must be a
mechanism which is linked to the wiring of the neural
brain.
Structural changes;
- Accumulation of chemicals and pathological structures inside and outside neurons.
E.g., lipid lipofuscin (‘wear and tear substance’; fat deposits).
- Frontal cortex, neostriatum (subcortical forebrain) declines
- What about the hippocampus? Hippocampal decline may be more of an indicator of
dementia.
- Some regions of the brain don’t see this decline is psychological
function and biological decline.
- Raz (1997) MRI volumes (picture);
- See the decline in both the frontal and medial lobes, but this may
be greater in the frontal lobe.
Functional changes;
- Neurochemistry, blood flow, take up of oxygen and glucose
- Reduction in receptors, neurotransmitters
- Cholinergic deficits/Memory deficits
The frontal lobes;
- Frontal Ageing Hypothesis;
- Is the age-related deterioration of the frontal lobes responsible for the functional
decline?
- Similarities in the behavioural problems exhibited by frontal lobe patients and older
adults (West, 1996)
- West’s (1996) - “cognitive functions supported by the prefrontal cortex should reveal
declines at an earlier age than those supported by other brain regions”
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller hannahnewton21. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $6.65. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
62555 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now