Transcript Cognitive Development in Middle Childhood

Physical, Cognitive, & Mental
Health Issues in Later
Adulthood
Chapter 14
Demographics of Aging
1950-2030 rapid growth in number of
older adults (400% increase in those > 85: 1995-2050)
People > 65 will outnumber others
Developed and developing countries
Profound implications
Marketing, social/political power
Health care services (fewer younger
workers)
Diversity of Older Adults
Older women > older men
Old among ethnic minorities increasing
faster than European
Native American: 65% increase
Asian: 4x increase
Older adults fastest growing segment of
African Americans
Diversity of Older Adults
Older adults in future will be better
educated
Current: 1/2 > 65 have high school diploma,
10% college
2030: 8% high school, 75% college
Better educational opportunities
Greater need for education for occupation
Longevity
Average life expectancy: age at which 1/2
people borne in a given year die
Increases in US for 80 years
• Declines in infant-labor mortality, medical technology,
elimination of diseases
Useful life expectancy: free from debilitating
disease/impairment
Maximum life expectancy: oldest one can live
120 due to organ failure
Longevity
Genes & environment key for lifespan
Genes: provide disease resistance, slow aging
Environment: diseases, toxins, SES, lifestyle
Gender also key
Women outlive men by average of 7 years
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Men more susceptible to disease?
Women have 2 X chromosomes?
Men have higher BMR?
Women have higher brain-to-body weight ratio?
Women have lower testosterone?
Third-Fourth Age
Third Age: (young old - 60-80)
Longer, healthier lives
Cognitive, emotional reserves
High levels of well being
Mastery of later life
Fourth Age (oldest-old - > 80)
Losses in cognitive skills
Increases in negative effects of stress
High dementia rates (50% > 90)
Poor quality of life, death issues
Biological Theories of Aging
Wear & Tear: body wears out over time
Arthritis but not other aspects of aging
Cellular theories: focus on cell action
Division limitations (fetal tissue: 40-60, adult: 20)
Telomerase: enzyme key for cell replication that
declines after each division
Cancer cells may take control of telomerase
Free radicals: chemicals produced in cells
produce cumulative damage to cells
Biological Theories of Aging
Metabolic theories: higher BMR faster
aging
Restricted caloric intake linked w/ longer life
Programmed cell death
DNA of cells ‘tell’ them to die at some point
Physiological Changes
Neurons
Neurofibrillary tangles (axons twist)
Dendrites may shrivel up & die
Neuritic plaques (dying neurons around protein core)
Cardiovascular (normative but rate impacted by lifestyle)
Fat deposits in/around heart (begins early)
Arterial stiffening
Increased risk for heart attack, strokes
Physiological Changes
Max air from one breath drops 40% (25-85)
Stiffening of ribs and air passages
Destruction of air sacs in lungs
Parkinson’s Disease
Motor dysfunction, tics
Caused by deterioration of dopaminergic neuronal
systems
Treated with L-Dopa (raises functional levels of Dop)
Physiological Changes
Sensory Changes (vision)
Reduced amount of light passing through
eye
Need more light, night vision poor
Increased glare sensitivity, reduced adaption
Lens becomes more yellow impairing color
vision
Accomodation reduces
Macular degeneration: retinal cells die (1/5 >
75)
Physiological Changes
Sensory Changes (hearing)
Hearing loss common
Cumulative or acute noise exposure
Reduced sensitivity to high pitches (prebycusis)
• 50% in late 70s
• Caused by damage to inner ear
Social, emotional implications
Many types of hearing aids available
Sensory Changes (vision)
Sensory changes (assorted)
Taste, touch, pain remain
Smell declines > 70
Balance impaired
Health Issues
Sleep often disrupted
2x as long to fall asleep, sleep less/night and
feel worse after poor sleep
Cancer
Risk dramatically increases with age
Screening critical
Information Processing
Attention
Selective attention: focus & filter irrelevant
Declines with age
Vigilance: attentional maintenance
Link with age unclear
Attentional control: divided, switching
Link with age unclear
Information Processing
Psychomotor speed (reaction time)
Declines with age
Acute with ambiguous information
Decline reduced with practice
Memory
Working memory: (holding, computational processes)
Declines with age
Older adults poor on episodic not semantic
Creativity
Ability to produce work that is novel, high
in demand and task appropriate
Increases through 20s, plateaus in 30s,
declines after
Most important contributions to science
made by younger scientists
Old work with young
Wisdom
Ability to solve difficult real world problems
Post-formal thinking
Deals w/ important/difficult issues of human
condition
Superior cognitive processes
Knowledge with scope, depth, balance
Well intended and combines mind & virtue
Wisdom
Wise people
Experts in basic issues of life
Know how to conduct life, how to interpret
events and what life means
No link with age
Do link emotion, thought and behavior in
solving a problem
Empathic and compassionate
Wisdom
Factors leading to wisdom
Intelligence
Fluid, crystallized, social
Personality
Creativity
Openness
Growth
Life experience
Depression
Rate declines with age
Diagnosed same way as w/ younger
Cluster of symptoms w/ 2 week duration
criterion
Sadness, feeling helpless, tired & physical
changes (e.g., appetite changes)
Rule out other causes (e.g., physical health)
Depression
Causes
Biological deficiencies (neurotransmitters)
Drugs that impact NT systems are effective
Psychosocial
Negative life events, stress, helplessness
Treatment
Medications
Psychotherapy (behavior & cognitive)
Anxiety Disorders
Feelings of anxiety for no reason
Phobias
Obsessive compulsive disorder
Common in older adults (10% of older women)
Treated with medication, theraoy
Alzheimer’s Disease
Gradual declines in cognitive functioning
Problems w/ memory, communication
Changes in personality, behavior
Confusion & paranoia common
May not recognize relatives, friends or
themselves
Rate varies but faster w/ early onset
Alzheimer’s Disease
Diagnosis
Long process beginning with progressive
change in cognitive functioning
Thorough physical examination and many
tests (brain scans) are needed
Causes
Genetic cell death, dysfunction
(neurofibrillary tangles)