chapter 17 - disorders of aging and cognition

Question 1

geropsychology

Answer 1

the field of psychology concerned with the mental health of elderly people

Question 2

delirium

Answer 2

a rapidly developing, acute disturbance in attention and orientation that makes it very difficult to concentrate and think in a clear and organized manner

Question 3

neurocognitive disorder

Answer 3

a disorder marked by a significant decline in at least one area of cognitive functioning

Question 4

major neurocognitive disorder

Answer 4

a neurocognitive disorder in which the decline in cognitive functioning is substantial and interferes with a person’s ability to be independent

Question 5

mild neurocognitive disorder

Answer 5

a neurocognitive disorder in which the decline in cognitive functioning is modest and does not interfere with a person’s ability to be independent

Question 6

Alzheimer’s disease

Answer 6

the most common type of neurocognitive disorder, usually occurring after the age of 65, marked most prominently by memory impairment

Question 7

senile plaques

Answer 7

sphere-shaped deposits of beta-amyloid protein that form in the spaces between certain neurons and in certain blood vessels of the brain as people age. people with Alzheimer’s disease have an excessive number of such plaques

Question 8

neurofibrillary tangles

Answer 8

twisted protein fibers that form within certain neurons as people age. people with Alzheimer’s disease have an excessive number of such tangles

Question 9

biomarkers

Answer 9

biochemical, molecular, genetic, or structural characteristics that usually accompany a disease