Major changes that occurs on the neurological system associated to age

by | Feb 16, 2025 | anthrolopogy

 

Describe major changes that occurs on the neurological system associated to age. Include changes on central nervous system and peripheral nervous system.
Define delirium and dementia, specified similarities and differences and describe causes for each one.

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.


This question has been answered

God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

Age-Related Changes in the Neurological System

The neurological system, encompassing the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS), undergoes several changes with age. These changes can impact cognitive function, motor skills, sensation, and overall neurological health.

Central Nervous System (CNS) Changes:

  • Brain Volume and Weight Reduction: The brain gradually shrinks in size and weight due to neuronal loss and atrophy. This reduction is more prominent in certain areas, such as the prefrontal cortex (responsible for executive functions) and the hippocampus (involved in memory).

Age-Related Changes in the Neurological System

The neurological system, encompassing the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS), undergoes several changes with age. These changes can impact cognitive function, motor skills, sensation, and overall neurological health.

Central Nervous System (CNS) Changes:

  • Brain Volume and Weight Reduction: The brain gradually shrinks in size and weight due to neuronal loss and atrophy. This reduction is more prominent in certain areas, such as the prefrontal cortex (responsible for executive functions) and the hippocampus (involved in memory).
  • Neuronal Loss and Atrophy: There is a progressive loss of neurons throughout the brain, and remaining neurons may shrink or lose connections (synaptic pruning). This impacts neurotransmission and communication between brain regions.
  • Neurotransmitter Changes: Levels of various neurotransmitters, chemicals that transmit signals between neurons, decline. This includes dopamine (affecting motor control and motivation), acetylcholine (impacting memory and learning), and serotonin (influencing mood and sleep).
  • Changes in Myelination: Myelin, the fatty substance that insulates nerve fibers and speeds up signal transmission, can break down. This slows down neural processing and can affect cognitive and motor function.
  • Decreased Blood Flow: Blood flow to the brain decreases with age, potentially due to atherosclerosis or other vascular changes. Reduced blood flow can impair brain function and increase the risk of stroke.
  • Increased Sensitivity to Medications: Older adults may be more sensitive to the effects of medications due to changes in 1 drug metabolism and clearance, increasing the risk of side effects, including those affecting the CNS.  
    1. www.fantasyplanet.cz
    www.fantasyplanet.cz

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) Changes:

  • Decreased Nerve Conduction Velocity: The speed at which nerve impulses travel along peripheral nerves slows down. This can affect reflexes, sensation, and motor skills.
  • Reduced Sensory Receptor Sensitivity: The sensitivity of sensory receptors in the skin, joints, and muscles decreases. This can impair touch, pain, temperature perception, and proprioception (awareness of body position).
  • Autonomic Nervous System Changes: The autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary functions, can also be affected. This can lead to changes in heart rate variability, blood pressure regulation, and thermoregulation.

These age-related changes can contribute to a variety of neurological conditions and can impact an individual’s quality of life. It’s important to note that while these changes are common, they don’t necessarily lead to significant disability in everyone. Lifestyle factors, genetics, and overall health play a role.

Delirium vs. Dementia

Delirium and dementia are two distinct conditions that often affect older adults and can sometimes be confused with one another. It’s crucial to differentiate between them due to their different causes, prognoses, and management strategies.

Delirium:

  • Definition: Delirium is an acute and fluctuating disturbance in attention, awareness, and cognition that develops over a short period (hours to days). It’s often reversible if the underlying cause is identified and treated.
  • Causes: Delirium has numerous potential causes, including:
    • Infections (UTI, pneumonia)
    • Medications (polypharmacy, new medications)
    • Dehydration
    • Electrolyte imbalances
    • Surgery/anesthesia
    • Pain
    • Hospitalization (especially in unfamiliar environments)
    • Pre-existing cognitive impairment (dementia is a risk factor)
  • Characteristics: Fluctuating symptoms, inattention, disorganized thinking, altered level of consciousness (hyperactive, hypoactive, or mixed), and often reversible.

Dementia:

  • Definition: Dementia is a progressive and irreversible decline in cognitive function that interferes with daily life. It’s a syndrome with various underlying causes.
  • Causes: Dementia is caused by damage to brain cells, often due to:
    • Alzheimer’s disease (most common type)
    • Vascular dementia (due to stroke or other vascular problems)
    • Lewy body dementia
    • Frontotemporal dementia
    • Parkinson’s disease
  • Characteristics: Gradual onset, progressive decline in memory, language, executive function, and other cognitive domains, often irreversible.

Similarities:

  • Both can affect cognition, behavior, and functional abilities.
  • Both are more common in older adults.
  • Both can be challenging to manage.

Differences:

Feature Delirium Dementia
Onset Acute, sudden Gradual, progressive
Course Fluctuating, often reversible Progressive, irreversible
Attention Impaired May be relatively preserved early on
Awareness Altered Usually clear until later stages
Thinking Disorganized Impaired, but less fluctuating than delirium
Underlying Cause Identifiable medical cause often present Underlying brain disease

It is crucial to differentiate delirium from dementia as delirium is often a medical emergency requiring prompt treatment of the underlying cause. Dementia, while not reversible, benefits from early diagnosis and management to slow progression and improve quality of life. Sometimes, an individual can have both delirium superimposed on dementia, making diagnosis even more complex.

This question has been answered.

Get Answer