Brain ageing and cognitive decline

Start with changes in the ageing brain

Begin with the mind map “Changes with Ageing” for a look at structural and functional changes, including memory, grey matter and white matter. Follow it with “Additional causes of aging in the brain”, which organizes material around molecular changes, signaling pathways, mutations and programmed cell death. These maps offer different ways to organize your notes on the topic.

For a focus on communication, use “Age related changes in speech, language and cognition”. Its branches bring speech, language and cognition together, so you can compare how the resource presents each area.

Explore brain reserve and cognition

“APOE, Brain Reserve and Cognition” brings together apolipoprotein E, brain reserve and antagonistic pleiotropy. Start by identifying the main branches, then use them to make a short outline of the connections shown in the map. You can return to the outline when studying other resources on the page.

The “Ageing Brain” flashcards offer another format for working through material. Use them alongside the mind maps: look at a card, recall what you can, then check a relevant map for context.

Use a quiz to guide your next step

The neurodegenerative diseases quiz includes questions about cognitive decline, dementia and changes associated with normal aging. Try it after exploring the maps, then return to the relevant branches when a question highlights an idea you want to study again. The maps can help you organize that follow-up work; the quiz gives you a way to practice recalling it.

Connect the topic to the unit

Brain ageing and cognitive decline is a section of a Neuroscience unit. Keep your notes from this page together as you explore the rest of the unit, and use the resource formats that suit the material you are studying. Pick a map or quiz and make it your starting point.