NEW335H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Neurodegeneration, Neuroplasticity, Communication Disorder
Document Summary
Neuroplasticity may be a mechanism by which the purported health benefits" of meditation are realized. Over time our ability (speed processing, working memory, and long-term memory) begin to decline. To understand age- related cognitive dysfunction, we must understand what aging does to brain. There are many changes in the brain that normally occur with aging. Several brain regions may show age-related corticol thinning. Corticol thinning may be associated with age related cognitive disease. With aging, there is an increased risk of developing neurogenterative diseases such as alzheimer and parkinson. Currently a struggle to come up with viable treatments for these devastating conditions. Modest evidence that meditation may help with cognitive function that is lost during aging and neurogenerative disease. However, low number of studies is cause for skpeticism. Alzheimer is particularly common and likely accounts for 70% of dementia cases. Meditation generally increases gray matter volume, this is not always the case.
