Neurotransmitters and Cognitive Aging

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Questions and Answers

What is the main focus of advance directives?

Decreasing the number of synapses

Decisions about life-sustaining treatments (correct)

Maintaining white matter health

Ensuring compliance with state laws

Which age-related change occurs in diseases like Alzheimer's?

Number of synapses decreases (correct)

Number of synapses increases

Number of neurons increases

Dendrites size remains constant

What do white matter hyperintensities (WMH) indicate?

Enhanced density of synapses

Development of tangles in axon fibers

Myelin loss or neural atrophy (correct)

Increase in dopamine levels

Which neurotransmitter is associated with higher-level cognitive functioning?

Dopamine Signup and view all the answers

What is the main purpose of the Patient Self-Determination Act (PSDA)?

Ensuring compliance with state law regarding advance directives Signup and view all the answers

What neurotransmitter has been shown to be related to cognitive decline?

Serotonin Signup and view all the answers

Which brain structure is associated with memory declines due to damage in structures that use acetylcholine?

Hippocampus Signup and view all the answers

Which area of the brain experiences considerable shrinkage particularly in the aging process?

Prefrontal cortex Signup and view all the answers

Which theory proposes that intelligence comes from a distributed network of neurons in the parietal and frontal areas of the brain?

Parieto-Frontal Integration Theory (P-FIT) Signup and view all the answers

Which theory suggests that aging brains overutilize regions in the left hemisphere for demanding tasks?

CRUNCH Signup and view all the answers

According to the Information-Processing Model, what does 'active processing' refer to?

The individual actively transforming incoming information Signup and view all the answers

What is the first level of processing incoming information from the environment according to the Information-Processing Model?

Sensory memory Signup and view all the answers

Which model of cognition is based on a computer metaphor?

Information-Processing Model Signup and view all the answers

In the context of adult development and aging, what are the three fundamental questions related to the Information-Processing Model?

Is there evidence of age differences in how we store information? Signup and view all the answers

What kind of information does the Information-Processing Model emphasize examining?

Quantitative and qualitative aspects of performance Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of dendrites in neurons?

Receiving chemical information from other neurons Signup and view all the answers

Which structural changes are associated with Alzheimer's disease?

Neuritic plaques and twisted axon fibers Signup and view all the answers

What neurotransmitter decreases as people age and is linked to Parkinson's disease?

Dopamine Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of autonomic nervous system function in older adults?

Difficulty in dealing with heat and cold Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a major cause of sleep disturbances in older adults according to the text?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Cognitive Aging

Changes in dopamine levels may play a major role in cognitive aging, affecting effortful and automatic processes
Abnormal processing of serotonin is related to cognitive decline
Damage to structures that use acetylcholine is associated with memory decline
The Positivity Effect: Older adults are more motivated to derive emotional meaning from life and maintain positive feelings than younger adults
Theory of Mind (ToM): The ability to understand that others have beliefs, desires, and viewpoints different from our own; research shows age-related decline in ToM (over 75)

Executive Functioning

Difficulty focusing solely on relevant information due to WMH and reduced volume of prefrontal cortex
Memory decline due to specific structural changes (e.g., the hippocampus)
Better emotional regulation with age
Increased processing of positive emotional information with age

Older adults may rely more on automatic judgment processes than reflective processing

Theories and Models of Brain-Behavior Changes Across Adulthood

The Parieto-Frontal Integration Theory (P-FIT)

Proposes that intelligence comes from a distributed and integrated network of neurons in the parietal and frontal areas of the brain

Additional mechanisms at work in aging brains, overutilizing other regions in the left hemisphere on demanding tasks

STAC-r (Scaffolding Theory of Cognitive Age—Revised)

Default network theory holds that when cognitive demands are made on the brain, the default network is suppressed
Neural resource enrichment and depletion interact with neural plasticity to account for age-related changes in cognitive functioning

Information-Processing Model

Based on a computer metaphor
Three assumptions:
- Active processing: the individual is actively involved in transforming incoming information
- Both quantitative and qualitative aspects of performance can be examined
- Information is processed through a stage-like series of "stores"

Respiratory System

Changes in the respiratory system include shortness of breath, which may result in a reduction of activity in older adults
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a family of diseases that includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis

Biological Changes

Female Reproductive System

Menopause and climacteric: the transition from being able to have children to the cessation of ovulation (usually begins in the 40's and complete by mid-50's)

Male Reproductive System

Sperm production declines gradually with age
Testosterone levels decline gradually with age
Prostate gland enlargement with increasing age

Central Nervous System

Neurons: individual brain cells, with changes occurring at the level of individual brain cells
Dendrites: where neurons receive chemical information from other neurons
Synapses: chemicals are sent out into the gap between neurons to be picked up by a neighboring neuron's dendrites

Structural Changes in Neurons

Aspects of growth and loss of dendrites during the life span
Neurofibrillary tangles: when fibers of the axon become twisted to form spiral filaments
Neuritic plaques: occur when dying neurons collect around a core of protein

Changes in Neurotransmitters

Acetylcholine: decreases with age, research has speculated that abnormally low levels are related to Alzheimer's disease
Dopamine: decreases with age, an extreme decline in the dopamine system is related to Parkinson's disease

Autonomic Nervous System

Regulating body temperature: older adults have a harder time dealing with heat and cold, putting them at risk for hypothermia and hyperthermia
Sleep and aging: older adults have more difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep, with changes in circadian rhythms

Genetic and Environmental Factors in Average Longevity

Genetic factors: being born into families who have lived long is a strong predictor of longevity
Environmental factors: disease, toxins, health behaviors/lifestyle, and socioeconomic status can shorten lives

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Description

Explore the role of dopamine, serotonin, and acetylcholine in cognitive aging, and how changes in brain structures can affect memory and cognition. Learn how abnormalities in neurotransmitter processing can lead to cognitive decline.