Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
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-cognition-
Presented by
Ronald Lucchino, PhD
Di
Director
off Policy,
P li
Al
Alzheimers
h i
A
Association,
i i
NM
rvluc@pop.net
OBJECTIVES
Objective
j
1: To be able to describe the age
g related
cognitive changes in the aging brain
Objective
j
2: To be able to describe age
g associated
(negative) cognitive changes in the
brain
Objective 3: To be able to describe how to improve
the brains cognitive
g
function as we
age
Generall O
G
Overview
i
-How
H
the Brain Works
-Cognitiong
Anatomy
y and Function of the Brain
Involved in Cognition
Inside the
Human Brain
The Brains Vital Statistics
Adult weight: about 3
pounds
d
Adult size: a medium
cauliflower
Number of neurons:
100,000,000,000
(100 billion)
Number of synapses
y p
(the
(
gap between neurons):
100,000,000,000,000
(100 trillion)
Slide 8
Inside the
Human Brain
Neurons
Slide 14
Inside
id the
h Human Brain
i
Major Cognitive Functioning areas of the brain
1 Cerebral Hemispheres where sensory information
1.
received from the outside world is processed; this part
of the brain controls voluntary movement and
regulates conscious thought and mental activity:
i coveredd by
is
b an outer
t layer
l
called
ll d the
th cerebral
b l cortex
t
Slide 9
Working memory -
Episodic
i di memory - is a neurocognitive (brain/mind) system,
uniquely different from other memory systems, that enables human
b i
beings
to
t remember
b pastt experiences
i
Hearing Words
Speaking Words
Seeing Words
Slide 13
Inside
id the
h Human Brain
i
Minor Cognitive Functioning areas
of the brain
Slide 10
Inside
id the
h Human Brain
i
Minor Cognitive Functioning areas
of the brain
Slide 11
Wh t is
What
i A
Aging?
i ?
1. inevitable
2. irreversible
3. variable
4 linear - we are continuously age year after year
4.
5 plasticity
5.
l ti it (compensatory)
(
t ) - the
th body
b d has
h the
th
ability to compensate for loss
AGING CURVE
Maximum vitality
100
vitality
vitalityy
% vitality
death
minimum
vitality
birth
conception
30
age
senescence
\What is Vitality
y
The ability to respond to stress, the amount of
reserve capacity
The
Th greater
t number
b off ffunctioning
ti i cells
ll per
organ the greater the ability to respond to stress
Maximum vitality is 100%.
Loss
L
off vitality
it lit is
i 0
0.8%
8% per year after
ft age 30
DETERMINANTS OF AGING
Negative
g
ggenes- early,
y, lifelong
g or late-onset ggenetic
diseases
inherited diseases
p
disabilities
developmental
Alzheimers disease
dementia
d
ti (severe
(
decline
d li in
i cognition)
iti )
severe cardiovascular disease
severe osteoporosis
cancer
neuro-muscular (Parkinson)
Rheumatoid diseases
Physical exercise
Mental exercise
Attitude/self-esteem
3. ENVIRONMENT
Home
Society
Physical barriers
DESCRIPTORS OF AGING
SUCCESSFUL AGING
USUAL AGING
PATHOLOGICAL AGING
SUCCESSFUL AGING
deleterious effects of aging
g g are minimized,, ppreserving
g function
Positive
P increases
iti genes
until senescence
vulnerability to loss (e.g.,memory
decline))
Positive lifestyle
good diet
physical exercise
mental exercise
positive attitude
USUAL AGING
Physical or mental functional decline from the interaction of
neutral or negative genes and poor lifestyle from birth to about
age 70 causing a loss of some independence
Neutral to negative genes
Poor
P
lif
life style
t l
poor diet
little physical exercise
little mental exercise
neutral
t l to
t negative
ti attitude
ttit d
PATHOLOGICAL AGING
Serious functional limitations from the interaction of
either genetically inherited or developmental traits with
poor lifestyle
p
y causing
g a substantial reduction in daily
y
activities
Negative gene
Negative lifestyle
poor diet
no physical exercise
no mental exercise
very poor attitude
ttit d
age
types and
interaction of not
Di
Disease
associated
i t d changes
h
- When
h age
associated changes results in a reduced functional
capacity with a loss of independence (home care
care,
hospital care, nursing home)
Wh t is
What
i Cognition
C iti
Three components
p
of Cognition
g
Input - sensory
P
Processing
i IInformation
f
ti
Output - motor
identify
fy input
p ((different
ff
regions
g
off brain))
type, intensity and location
interpret
p input
p
integrate response (multi
( l brain)
b
)
conscience, memory, behavior, emotions, movement
Motor Response
appropriate
app
op iate (type and intensity)
directed
reflex
h h brain
higher
b
Cognitive
g
Functions
memory - learning or training new information
higher executive skills- handling complex tasks,
abstract thought,
g , planning,
p
g,
pproblem solvingg
judgment
Moderators Influencing
g Cognition
g
Genetics
Education
Fitness
Expertise skills
Lifestyle
Lif t l
Occupation
Leisure time activities
Major
j Cognitive
g
Development
p
Process rate or speed of input
Memory transfer
Inhibitors of irrelevant information
Expression of Cognition
Evolution - g
genetics
nerve net
(phylogeny)
(basic behavior)
Developmental influences-
endocrine
E
Expression
i off genes/hormones
/h
((ontogeny)
t
)
(h
(hormonal
lb
behavior)
h i )
Environment influences
(External modification of genes)
cortical behavior
(cognition)
Cognitive
g
Abilities
Crystalline/pragmatic abilities lifelong acquisition of
learning and acculturation
acculturation verbal knowledge,
knowledge
comprehension
C
Cognitive
i i Reserve
R
Capacity
C
i the developmental plasticity of
cognitive
g
function in older adults
occurs within a limited range
Cognition
Input - sensory
Processing
Output - motor
Sensory Input
Differential reduction in acuity in the
type
yp and intensityy of sensoryy input
p starting at about the age of 30
Slower
Sl
iin recognition
iti off input
i t
Slower in processing speed of input