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Mind, Brain and Development
Ageing: Biological Effects and Cognitive Disorders Lecture
Biological Changes
The brain:
Reduction in neurons and white matter, communication in the brain is less effective, two
hemispheres become more complimentary rather than looking at different things
- Cerebral cortex
o Specialisation decreases (Cabeza, 2002)
- Frontal lobe theory of ageing (decreased activity in frontal lobe)
o Under-recruitment of prefrontal cortex
- Default network (higher functioning is maintained in older adults but less efficient
due to increased activity in frontal lobe but not sustainable)
o Scaffolding theory of ageing and cognition (Park and Reuter-Lorenz, 2009)
The nervous system:
- Neurotransmitter pathways
o Dopamine (reduction in levels, extreme reduction can lead to Parkinson’s)
o Acetylcholine (can be associated with caffeine)
- White matter hyper-intensity:
o Associated with deficits in cognitive performance (De Groot et al
...
Emotion
comprises of three responses:
o Physiological (hormones, nervous system, muscle tension etc
...
)

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“An emotion may be defined as an innate and acquired predisposition to respond
cognitively, physiologically and behaviourally to certain internal and external events
that relate to important goals and motives
...
Imaging
allowed more investigation into emotion
...
Reactive: main cause such as bereavement
...
,
variety of non-medical interventions such as CBT which aims to alter negative
thoughts for depression)

Leads to change in behaviour, appetite, sleep etc
...

Usually takes around 4-6 weeks for mood to change when taking antidepressants but side
effects can happen straight away
...

Psychologically, it distracts from negative thoughts and get satisfaction from achieving a
goal, and improving self-esteem
...

unable to manage themselves such as difficulty with verbal communications
o Anosognosic excitement – link to speech production, speech becomes quite
fluid and making things that sound like words but doesn’t really make sense,

person is not aware of this, problems with speech comprehension
...
Distinct behavioural symptoms
associated with a stroke
...
May have physical freezing, slurred speech,
parkinsonian mark (no expressions) which can lead to stigma from social situations, and can often be
interpreted as drunk
...


Dementia
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There is a range of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD)
associated with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD)
The most common emotional disorders in AD are apathy, anxiety and depression
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is associated with marked behavioural, language
and emotional disorders – survival is usually around 10 years, no cure and gets
increasingly worse, behaviour is often misinterpreted but cannot control this
behaviour even if it is not acceptable, unaware of how it affects other people, social
disinhibitions, preservation, compulsive eating, impairment in use and
understanding of words and unable to pronounce words, apathy and lack of
emotion, etc
...
Can lead to
damage to personal relationships, abnormalities in walking and posture as well as a
tremor
...
Can drop as dementia grows due to unawareness that you have any issues or the disease
...


Traumatic Brain Injury
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Common symptoms following traumatic brain injuries include emotional
outbursts, apathy, depression and anxiety
Executive dysfunction is common in traumatic brain injury
There is a lack of insight amongst this patient group

Could be a closed head injury (e
...
concussion)
...
Can lead to severe isolation
...
Very marked behavioural difference, family will talk as if they are
different people before and after the injury
...
limbic system
Damasio introduced the somatic marker hypothesis to explain why emotions are
fundamental to decision making
Contemporary Phineas Gage
The case study of Phineas Gage advanced our understanding of the localisation of
brain function - he will be forever remembered as, “the man who lived with a hole in
the head

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