Cognitive changes during ageing

Question 1

what does learning and memory involve

Answer 1

1. environment influencing behaviour
2. learning- process of acquiring knowledge
3. memory- process of encoding, storing and retrieving knowledge
4. personality

Question 2

what are the 2 types of memory

Answer 2

1. explicit memory- facts and events
2. implicit memory- priming, procedural (skills and habits), non associative (habituation, sensitisation), and associative (classical and operant conditioning)

Question 3

what are the 5 sections of the brain

Answer 3

1. frontal lobe
2. parietal lobe
3. occipital lobe
4. cerebellum
5. temporal lobe

Question 4

describe the differences between young and advanced ageing brain structures

Answer 4

• older adults show increased activation in frontal and other brain regions as compared to young adults
• possibly as a form of compensation
• both show activation during a language task
• young adults show strongly left lateralised activation
• older adults show strong bilateral activation

Question 5

what is the general effect on memory in older adults

Answer 5

typical decline in certain types of memory during ageing in the absence of pathology

• speed, executive function, working memory, spatial memory
• some patients develop mCI which converts to dementia at a rate of 5-10% per year
• normal brain ageing: loss of connections
• changes to LTP (long term potentiation)/LTD (long term depression) threshold, Ca2+ dyshomeostasis and prolonged duration of the sAHP