Brain Volume Also Decreases

question 138

Short Answer

Brain volume also decreases. One study found that the volume of the brain was 15% less in older adults than younger adults. Some areas shrink more than others. The prefrontal cortex is one area that shrinks with aging, and recent research has linked this shrinkage with a decrease in working memory and other cognitive activities in older adults. Scientists think they might result from a decrease in dendrites, damage to the myelin sheath that covers axons, or simply the death of brain cells.

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Definitions:

Statistically Significant

Denotes a result that is unlikely to have occurred by chance alone, according to a pre-determined threshold for significance.

Clinical Scientists

are researchers or practitioners in the field of clinical psychology who apply scientific methods to study, understand, and treat psychological disorders.

Positive Correlation

A statistical relationship in which the values of two variables increase together or decrease together.

Negative Correlation

A statistical relationship in which the value of one variable increases while the other variable decreases.