8.1

Question 1

middle adult hood

Answer 1

40-65 people start feeling the effects of aging

Question 2

Most people reach their maximum height in their t

Answer 2

twenties and remain close to that height until around age 55. People then begin a “settling” process in which the bones attached to the spinal column become less dense. Although the loss of height is very slow, women average a 5 cm decline and men a 2.5 cm decline over the rest of the lifespan

Question 3

osteoporosis 

Answer 3

a condition in which minerals, especially calcium, leach from the bones, leading them to become brittle, fragile, and thin

Question 4

visual acuity

Answer 4

the ability to discern fine spatial detail in both close and distant objects—begins to decline. The shape of the eye’s lens changes and its elasticity deteriorates, which makes it harder to focus images sharply onto the retina. The lens becomes less transparent, so less light passes through the eye

Question 5

presbyopia 

Answer 5

a nearly universal change in eyesight during middle adulthood that results in some loss of near vision

Question 6

glaucoma 

Answer 6

occurs when pressure in the fluid of the eye increases, either because the fluid cannot drain properly or because too much is produced. Around 1 to 2 percent of people over age 40 are afflicted

Question 7

Age brings a loss of

Answer 7

cilia or hair cells in the inner ear; these transmit neural messages to the brain when vibrations bend them. Like the lens of the eye, the eardrum becomes less elastic with age, reducing sensitivity to sound

Question 8

presbycusis

Answer 8

loss of the ability to hear sounds of high frequency

Question 9

sound localization

Answer 9

People with hearing problems can also have trouble identifying the direction and origin of a sound,

Question 10

female climacteric 

Answer 10

At around age 45, women enter a period known as the climacteric, which lasts for 15 to 20 years.
the period that marks the transition from being able to bear children to being unable to do so

Question 11

menopause 

Answer 11

the cessation of menstruation

Question 12

Perimenopause

Answer 12

describes this period prior to menopause when hormone production begins to change. It is marked by sometimes radical fluctuations in hormone levels, resulting in some of the same symptoms found in menopause

Question 13

male climacteric

Answer 13

is the period of physical and psychological change in the reproductive system that occurs late in midlife, typically in a man’s fifties.

Question 14

enlargement of the prostate gland.

Answer 14

Enlargement of the prostate produces problems with urination, including difficulty starting urination or a need to urinate frequently at night.

Question 15

erectile dysfunction

Answer 15

in which men are unable to achieve or maintain an erection, becomes more common. Drugs such as Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis, as well as patches that deliver doses of testosterone, often provide effective treatment

Question 16

Certain chronic diseases do begin to appear in middle adulthood

Answer 16

Arthritis typically begins after age 40, and diabetes is most likely to occur between ages 50 and 60, particularly in those who are overweight. Hypertension (high blood pressure) is one of the most frequent chronic disorders. Often called the “silent killer” because it is symptomless, hypertension, if left untreated, greatly increases the risk of strokes and heart disease. For such reasons, many preventive and diagnostic medical tests are routinely recommended for midlife adults.

Question 17

Psychoneuroimmunologists,

Answer 17

who study the relationship between the brain, the immune system, and psychological factors, report that stress has three main consequences

Question 18

stages of stress

Answer 18

First, stress has direct physiological effects, ranging from increased blood pressure and hormonal activity to decreased immune system response. Second, stress leads people to engage in unhealthy ­behaviours such as cutting back on sleep, smoking, drinking, or taking other drugs. Finally, stress has indirect effects on health-related behaviour. People under a lot of stress can be less likely to seek out good medical care, to exercise, or to comply with medical advice (Suinn, 2001; Suls and Wallston, 2003; Zellner et al., 2006). All of these can lead to or affect serious health conditions, including heart disease.

Question 19

Type A behaviour pattern 

Answer 19

characterized by competitiveness, impatience, and a tendency toward frustration and hostility. Type A people are extremely ambitious and they engage in polyphasic activities—multiple activities carried out simultaneously. They are the true multitaskers whom you see talking on their phones while working on their laptop computers while riding the commuter train—and eating breakfast. Easily angered, they become both verbally and nonverbally hostile if prevented from reaching their goals.

Question 20

Type B behaviour pattern 

Answer 20

characterized by noncompetitiveness, patience, and a lack of aggression. In contrast to Type As, Type Bs experience little sense of time urgency, and they are rarely hostile.

Question 21

radiation therapy

Answer 21

in which radiation targets the tumour in an attempt to destroy it

Question 22

chemotherapy

Answer 22

ingest controlled doses of toxic substances meant to poison the tumour