Chapter 2 - Neuroscience as a Basis for Adult Development and Aging

outermost part of the brain consisting of two hemispheres (left and right)

cerebral cortex

part of the brain that play a major role in memory and learning

hippocampus

part of the brain that is associated with motor functioning and balance equilibrium

cerebellum

thick bundle of neurons that connects the left and right hemispheres of the cerebral cortex

corpus callosum

region of the brain believed to play a key role in emotion

amygdala

set of brain structures involved with emotion, motivation, and long-term memory, among other functions

limbic system

antioxidant

compound that protects cells from the harmful effects of free radicals

free radical

substance that can damage cells, including brain cells, and plays a role in diseases

neuroscience

study of the brain

neuroimaging

set of techniques in which pictures of the brain are taken in various ways

structural imaging

set of techniques that provides highly detailed images of anatomical features in the brain

functional neuroimaging

capture of brain images of low anatomical detail

neuropsychological approach

technique that compares brain functioning of healthy older adults with adults displaying brain disorders

neurocorrelational approach

technique that relates measures of cognitive performance to measures of brain structure or functioning

activation imaging approach

technique that attempts to directly link functional brain activity with cognitive behavioral data

compensatory change

adjustment that allows older adults to adapt to inevitable behavioral decline

neuron

brain cell

dendrite

structural feature that acts like an antenna to receive signals from other nearby neurons

axon

structure that contains neurofibers

neurofiber

structure that carries information inside the neuron from the dendrites to the terminal branches

terminal branch

endpoint in a brain cell that helps transmit signals across the synapse

neurotransmitter

chemical that carries information signals between neurons across the synapse

synapse

gap between neurons across which neurotransmitters travel

neuroanatomy

study of the structure of the brain

prefrontal cortex

part of the frontal lobe that is involved in making plans and maintaining attention and focus

executive function

ability to make and carry out plans, switch between tasks, or maintain attention and focus

dopamine

neurotransmitter associated with higher-level cognitive functioning

dopaminergic system

set of neuronal systems that use dopamine as their major neurotransmitter

white matter

neuron that serves to transmit information from one part of the cerebral cortex to another

Parieto-Frontal Integration Theory (P-FIT)

concept that intelligence comes from a distributed and integrated network of neurons in the brain

Hemispheric Asymmetry Reduction in OLDer adults (HAROLD) model

concept that explains the empirical findings of reduced lateralization in prefrontal lobe activity in older adults

Posterior-Anterior Shift in Aging (PASA) model

concept of cognitive aging reflecting from occipital to frontal processing that is thought to reflect age-related compensation

plasticity

descriptor of the effects of experience on the structure and functions of the neural system

neural stem cell

cell that persists in the brain and can generate new neurons throughout the life span