IB Psychology HL - CLOA - Explain How Biological Factors Affect a Cognitive Process
Alzheimer’s Disease is a degenerative brain disorder that primarily affects older adults and leads to a decline in cognitive functions. Key symptoms include memory loss, language difficulties, attention problems, and changes in personality, caused by damage to brain structures such as the hippocampus.
Alzheimer’s Disease
a serious degenerative brain disease
- symptoms include memory impairment, difficulty speaking, attention problems, altered personality
Key Terms
Alzheimer’s Disease
a serious degenerative brain disease
- symptoms include memory impairment, difficulty speaking, attention problems, altered personality
what causes Alzheimer’s?
abnormal protein fragments that kill brain cells
begins at the hippocampus
amyloid plaques
neurofibrillary tangles
reduced ...
amyloid plaques
caused by sticky deposits of amyloid-ß proteins that accumulate in the brain
they damage axon and dendrite membranes
plaques are formed...
neurofibrillary tangles
accumulation of an abnormal form of tau protein
structural support of neurons collapses
tangles occur in the microtubules
tau protein
a component of the support structure of neurons
how does AD impair cognitive functions?
degradation of the neurons in the brain
- leading to widespread atrophy (shrinking)
Related Flashcard Decks
Study Tips
- Press F to enter focus mode for distraction-free studying
- Review cards regularly to improve retention
- Try to recall the answer before flipping the card
- Share this deck with friends to study together
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
Alzheimer’s Disease | a serious degenerative brain disease - symptoms include memory impairment, difficulty speaking, attention problems, altered personality |
what causes Alzheimer’s? | abnormal protein fragments that kill brain cells begins at the hippocampus amyloid plaques neurofibrillary tangles reduced metabolism in the hippocampus (Mosconi, 2005) |
amyloid plaques | caused by sticky deposits of amyloid-ß proteins that accumulate in the brain they damage axon and dendrite membranes plaques are formed from the degenerating axons and dendrites |
neurofibrillary tangles | accumulation of an abnormal form of tau protein structural support of neurons collapses tangles occur in the microtubules |
tau protein | a component of the support structure of neurons |
how does AD impair cognitive functions? | degradation of the neurons in the brain - leading to widespread atrophy (shrinking) |
episodic memory | memory for events/personal experiences |
semantic memory | general knowledge about the world, concepts, language |
procedural memory | memory for the performance of particular actions |
effect of AD on various types of memory | Salthouse and Becker (1998): analyzed data from 180 AD patients and over 1000 normal elderly individuals, and found that AD primarily impaired episodic memory Hodges et al. (1994) measured semantic memory in AD patients with tasks (e.g. naming pictures of objects or animals) and found a steady decline in semantic memory procedural memory is also affected but to a lesser extent |
Mosconi (2005) - Aim | To investigate early detection of Alzheimer’s |
role of hippocampus | encoding and transferral of STM to LTM |
Mosconi (2005) - Process | Longitudinal study following a sample of 53 normal and healthy participants between 9 years and 24 years PET scans were used together with a computer program to measure hippocampus metabolism |
Mosconi (2005) - Findings | participants showing early signs of reduced metabolism in the hippocampus associated with later development of AD |
Mosconi (2005) - Conclusion | The hippocampus is a central part of memory processes and reduced metabolism may be a sign of AD |
lesions | damage to brain tissue |
how do lesions affect memory? | manifests as memory loss demonstrates that different memories are stored in different areas of the brain Main study: Scoville and Milner (1957) |
Scoville and Milner (1957) | case study on Henry Molaison epileptic who had parts of his brain (including the hippocampus) removed his epilepsy was cured but he developed severe anterograde amnesia and partial retrograde amnesia intact STM but couldn’t transfer semantic or episodic memories to the LTM his ability to store procedural memory in the LTM remains intact his memory prior to the surgery appears largely intact he has some capacity for working memory (could maintain short conversations) |
what can be learned from HM’s case? | memory systems are highly specialized and complex hippocampus plays a critical role in transferral between STM and LTM however the hippocampus doesn’t appear to be the site of permanent storage itself the fact that HM has deficits in some types of memories but not in other suggests that the brain has multiple memory systems located in different regions |
relationship between HM’s brain damage and his memory deficits | Corkin (1997) scanned HM’s brain using MRI parts of the temporal lobes (including the hippocampus) was missing these parts are theorized to play an important role in the transferral of memories from STM to LTM as they are involved in specific neurotransmitter pathways (e.g. acetylcholine, which is associated with semantic and episodic memory) |
what to write when asked: “Explain how 1 biological factor may affect 1 cognitive process” | biological factor: Alzheimer’s Disease; cognitive process: memory describe functions of the hippocampus explain hippocampus’ role in memory formation and recall describe symptoms and effects of AD explain the causes of neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid plaques and their biological effects refer to Salthouse and Becker (1988) and Hodges et al (1994) for cognitive effects of AD |