Question

With aging, the speed of reflex responses slows down. Thedecreased rate or response is believed to result from manyage-related changes in the nervous system. List at least threepossible explanations for slower reflexes in the elderly. I wantall of your proposed mechanisms to be related to nerve transmission(from graded potential formation to changes in the synapse i.e. nodiscussion of areas outside nerve transmission e.g. bad backs, orsore feet). For each proposed mechanism explain how it effects ionconcentrations across the membrane, neurotransmitters andpostsynaptic action potentials.