Aging affects all systems, but the brain seems to be particularly vulnerable to the action of negative, age-dependent factors. A gradual loss of memory functions is one of the earliest and most widespread consequences of brain aging. The causes for such impairment are still unclear. Synaptic plasticity including long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) is thought to form the cellular basis of learning and memory. Thus alterations in synaptic plasticity are hypothesized to contribute to age-related memory deficits. The ability to form and use memories is likely to require long-lasting structural and physiological changes in the connections between neurons, especially in the brain areas known to be critical for mnemonic function. If so, then impairment of synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus during aging might account for memory dysfunction observed during senescence. Here, I discuss the work of various scientists regarding the evidence sustaining the existence of a causal link between cognitive and LTP impairments, as well as the possible mechanisms involved.
Name of the Student : Sherry Simon
Reg No: 1741210062
Batch: M.Tech II Year
Name of the Guide: Dr. Devi A