PSYC 7 Lecture Notes - Lecture 19: Neurofibrillary Tangle, Implicit Memory, Explicit Memory
Document Summary
Basic idea is that the rate of a creature"s metabolism is related to how long it lives. We have only a certain amount of energy to expend. Many diseases associated with aging have a genetic component. Cellular theories: causes of aging on a cellular level. Aging chromosomes" telomeres: become shorter with each cell division, limits the number of times a cell can divide. Cross-linking: muscles and arteries less flexible due to certain proteins. Free radicals: highly reactive chemicals produced randomly in normal metabolism. Antioxidants: prevent f. r. development, hence their anti-aging. Many age related changes occur because of impairments in neural transmission: Neuritic plaques: damaged or defective neurons form around a core of protein. Neurofibrillary tangles: spiral-shaped masses form in the axon"s fibers. Some degree of tangling and plaques normal with age, large amounts associated with alzheimer"s and other. Axon deteriorates over time (sending and receiving signals get worse as we get.
