What types of cognitive fxns are maintain during aging?
Knowledge of vocabulary/ verbal memory
What happens to the brain volume with normal age?
Brain shrinks, due to loss of neurons, but more loss of myelin, dendrites and synapses
What is the physiology as aging occurs at a synaptic level?
Fewer dendritic spines and branches. NMJs are not well fxning and losing connectivity between pre and post synapses.
What does caloric restriction do to the physiology of NMJs?
Helps repair/ rescue the non-fxnlity of synapse, seeing more nervation and sprouting than the old control mice
What happens to synaptic plasticity in older animals ?
Synaptic plasticity, using pair-pulsed facilitation and depression (controlling for LTP and LTD) become impaired in old animals. But still there, but less active.