Chapter 17

Question 1

what is lifespan or longevity?

Answer 1

Is the length of time a person can live under the best
circumstances.

Question 2

life expectancy

Answer 2

number of years a person in a given population can expect to live

Question 3

Ageism

Answer 3

Prejudice against people because of their age; stereotypes that paint
older people in a certain way affects how one responds to them

Question 4

Cataracts

Answer 4

clouding of the lenses, usually requiring surgery to correct

Question 5

Glaucoma

Answer 5

buildup of fluid pressure inside the eyeball, which can lead to tunnel vision and
no peripheral vision or blindness

Question 6

Presbycusis

Answer 6

Age-related hearing loss that affects about one person in three
over the age of 65

Question 7

Osteoporosis

Answer 7

Disorder where bones lose so much calcium that they become
prone to breakage; most serious are hip fractures

Question 8

Sleep apnea

Answer 8

Person stops breathing repeatedly during the night, causing
awakenings; linked to increased risk of heart attacks and strokes

Question 9

programmed theories

Answer 9

aging as the result of genetic instructions

Question 10

Cellular damage theories

Answer 10

propose that aging results from damages to cells

Question 11

what are aging and longevity based on

Answer 11

a biological clock governed by genes

Question 12

Cellular Clock Theory

Answer 12

focuses on built-in limits of cell division; after dividing about
50 times, human cells cease dividing and eventually die

Question 13

telomeres

Answer 13

(the protective segments of DNA
at the tips of chromosomes); telomeres shrink each time a cell divides

Question 14

what happens when loss of telomeres reach a critical point

Answer 14

then they are no longer able to function; because the length of telomeres for a species determines the number of times a cell can divide and survive

Question 15

Hormonal Stress theory

Answer 15

Hormonal stress theory focuses on the endocrine system, which releases
hormones into the bloodstream.

Question 16

what kind of changes do hormonal changes foster

Answer 16

puberty an menopause; diabetes, osteoporosis and heart disease

Question 17

Immunological Theory

Answer 17

the immune system is preset to decline by an internal biological clock. antibodies decline with age

Question 18

Wear and Tear Theory

Answer 18

Over the years, our bodies — as machines that wear out through use —
become less capable of repairing themselves.

Question 19

Free-Radical Theory

Answer 19

attributes aging to damage caused by the accumulation
of unstable molecules called free radicals, produced during metabolism by
oxidation, possibly damaging cell proteins, membranes, and DNA

Question 20

Cross Linking Theory

Answer 20

-cell proteins bind to one another in a process called cross-linking,
thereby toughening tissues.
-Cross-linking stiffens collagen — the connective tissue supporting tendons,
ligaments, cartilage, and bone; this results in coarse, dry skin.

Question 21

Normal Aging

Answer 21

Physiological processes decline slowly with age, enabling the
person to enjoy life into late adulthood

Question 22

Pathological aging

Answer 22

Chronic diseases or degenerative processes, such as
heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, lead to disability and death

Question 23

three major causes of death

Answer 23

cancer, heart disease, and respiratory disease

Question 24

elder bais

Answer 24

discrimination against older people by some health professionals

Question 25

what are a major risk factor for heart attacks and strokes

Answer 25

hypertension

Question 26

Arthritis

Answer 26

is joint inflammation that results from conditions affecting the structures inside and surrounding the joints

Question 27

Osteoarthritis

Answer 27

is a painful, degenerative disease involving wear and tear
on joints.

Question 28

osteoarthritis is common with who

Answer 28

obese people

Question 29

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Answer 29

is characterized by chronic inflammation of the
membranes that line the joints because the body’s immune system attacks its
own tissues

Question 30

Dementia

Answer 30

Condition characterized by dramatic deterioration of mental abilities
involving thinking, memory, judgment, and reasoning;

Question 31

Alzheimer’s disease

Answer 31

-is the most common cause of dementia
-is progressive and irreversible
-

Question 32

vascular dementia

Answer 32

is when the blood flow to a particular part of the brain is
compromised or blocked

Question 33

lewy body

Answer 33

is caused by abnormal protein deposits in different parts of the brain

Question 34

Frontotemporal dementia

Answer 34

is caused by protein tangles, which cause cells to die
in the frontal and temp

Question 35

Parkinson’s dementia

Answer 35

occurs in only 2–5 percent of people with dementia,
occurring within a year or so of being diagnosed with Parkinson’s.

Question 36

does crystallized intelligence continue to improve throughout late adulthood

Answer 36

yes

Question 37

do cognitive skills decline or incline in advanced age?

Answer 37

decline

Question 38

Retrospective and prospective memories

Answer 38

Memories of the past (“retro”)
and memories of the things we plan to do in the future

Question 39

Explicit memories

Answer 39

specific information, such as things we did or things that happened to us and general knowledge

Question 40

Implicit memories

Answer 40

More automatic; recall the performance of tasks such
as reciting the alphabet or multiplication tables, riding a bicycle, and using a
doorknob

Question 41

prospective memory

Answer 41

remember things we have planned
to do in the future, despite the passage of time, and despite the occurrence of
interfering events

Question 42

who suggests that wise people tend to possess an unselfish love for others and be less afraid of death

Answer 42

Ardelt