Aging Flashcards

1
Q

what are the connective tissue changes with aging?

A
  • altered ability to maintain and repair
  • decrease water concentration
  • collagen and elation become more stiff and brittle
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2
Q

what are the cartilage changes with aging?

A
  • calcification
  • decreased water content
  • intervertebral discs shrink and crack
    – increased the load on other structured (facets)
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3
Q

what is the result of connective tissue and cartilage changes with aging?

A
  • decreased load and energy absorption
  • increased risk of injury
  • functional implications
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4
Q

what are the skeletal muscle changes with aging?

A
  • sarcopenia: loss of muscle strength and functional quality
  • 1-3% per year >50
  • decrease in number and diameter of mm fibers
  • muscle fibers –> fat or collagen
  • maximize reserve before loss of function
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5
Q

what are the bone changes with aging?

A
  • decrease subchondral bones
  • osteopenia
    – increased osteoclast activity and decreased osteoblast
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6
Q

what are the functional implications of musculoskeletal changes with aging?

A
  • loss of ROM
  • pain
  • postural management
  • decreased load tolerance and absorption
  • decreased strength and force production
  • morbidity and mortality
    – 1 year mortality rate after hip fx: 20-30%
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7
Q

what are the cardiovascular changes with aging?

A
  • structural changes seen in heart and vascular system
    – reduced contractility, valve dysfunction, fibrosis
    – decreased heart rate max –> not altered by exercise
  • thorax is stiffer
  • increased kyphosis diminishing rib cage ability
  • diminished elastic recoil of the lung –> decreased lung volume –> less oxygen reaching tissues
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8
Q

what are the sensory changes with aging?

A
  • decline in somatic senses (fine touch, pressure, vibration)
    – loss of sensory receptors
  • dizziness/vertigo leads to increased risk for falls
    – lose hair and nerve cells
  • visual/hearing declines rapidly between 60-80 y/o
    – decreased acuity, contrast sensitivity, depth perception
    – cataracts, macular degeneration
  • decreased taste/smell after 60 y/o
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9
Q

what happens with a decline in brain weight/volume?

A
  • neuronal atrophy/cell death –> loss of gray matter
  • axonal loss and decreased myelination –> loss of white matter
  • loss is not uniform in distribution
    – prefrontal cortex, striatum, temporal lobe, cerebellum, hippocampus most impacted
    – implications: decline in higher level executive function, memory, motor control, motor learning
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10
Q

what are the information processing and attention changes with aging?

A
  • decreased sensory input –> reduces processing speed
  • slower rxn time
    – accuracy vs speed (speed is reduced but accuracy is good)
    – repetition in a closed environment
  • decreased attentional capacity
  • decreased ability to divide attention
    – better with repetition in a closed environment
  • increased dual tasks costs
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11
Q

what are the memory changes with aging?

A
  • working memory: shorter “chunks”
  • episodic memory: hippocampus, retrieval declines
  • semantic and remote memory: less age-related decline
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12
Q

what are the changes in steady state control?

A
  • increased sway during steady state
  • reduced limits of stability
  • true capacity better determined with increased challenge (eyes closed, decreased BOS)
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13
Q

what are the changes in anticipatory postural control?

A
  • slower activation of both postural (activation prior to movement) and mover muscles
  • decreased ability to stabilize the body in advance of voluntary movements
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14
Q

what are the changes in reactive postural control?

A
  • impaired timing of muscles
  • hip>ankle
    – ankle mm weakness or sensory changes
  • take >1 step
    – shorter step, slower step velocity, more co-activation
  • lateral stepping
    – less likely to cross over
  • sustain more limb collisions
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15
Q

what are the age related changes that may contribute to falls risk?

A
  • muscle weakness
  • sensory impairments
  • slower nerve conduction
  • postural alignment
  • slower/less effective anticipatory/reactive postural control
  • slower processing and response
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16
Q

what are the psychosocial aspects of aging?

A
  • adjustment to retirement
  • loss of lifetime roles
  • isolation
  • loss of other close to them (spouse, friends)
  • loss of independence
  • depression
17
Q

what are the task demands for motor learning with aging?

A
  • simple – similar yo younger adults
  • complex – more age related differences
  • task specific and functional
  • part practice may reduce processing demands
  • whole practice may produce a better movement quality
18
Q

what are the practice conditions for motor learning with aging?

A
  • learning is slower compared to younger adults
    – increased repetition
  • mental practice of a newly learned motor task enhances retention
  • random practice may decrease performance but enhances retention
  • distributed practice may decrease performance but enhances retention and reduces risk of injury
19
Q

what kind of feedback is best for motor learning with aging?

A
  • older adults rely on visual feedback
  • sensory information processing is reduced with age
  • implicit learning may be better for older adults
  • attentional cost of explicit learning may have negative effect (or use vision)
20
Q

is KR or KP preferred for motor learning with aging?

A
  • KR is better
    – same as in younger adults
    – improved learning
    – reduced frequency is better (20% vs 100%)
  • KP
    – 66% better than 100% or 33%
21
Q

what are the benefits of older adults being actively healthy?

A
  • body systems do not degrade as much in active individuals
  • reaction time is similar to younger adults
  • executive functions
  • brain volume is better
    – exercise is critical for prevention of cognitive decline
  • intentional exercise, motor learning, and cortical plasticity closely related