Chapter 18: Cognitive Development in Late Adulthood Flashcards
Cognitive mechanics
The “hardware” of the mind, reflecting the neurophysiological architecture of the brain
Involve speed and accuracy of the processes involving sensory input, visual and motor memory, discrimination, comparison, and categorization
Cognitive pragmatics
Culture-based “software” of the mind
Reading and writing skills, language comprehension, educational qualifications, professional skills, and self-understanding and life skills
T or F
Processing speed is one of the best predictors for living longer.
T
T or F
Ability to ignore distractions is stronger in older adults
F
Selective attention
Focusing on a specific aspect of an experience that is relevant while ignoring others
Divided attention
Focus on more than one thing
Sustained attention
Focus for an extended period
Executive attention
Aspects of thinking that include planning, allocating attention to goals, detecting and compensating for errors, monitoring progress on tasks, and dealing with novel or difficult circumstances
Explicit memory
Memory of facts and experiences that individuals consciously know and can state
Implicit memory
Memory without conscious recollection; involves skill and routine procedures
Episodic memory
Memory about details of life’s happenings
Episodic memory gets _______ with old age
worse
Reminiscence bump
Adults remember more events from the second and third decades of their lives
Semantic memory
Knowledge about the world
Tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon
Older adults can’t quite retrieve information
T or F
Working memory can be improved in late adulthood through training.
T
Source memory
Ability to remember where one learned something
Prospective memory
Ability to remember doing something
Prospective memory deficits are usually _______ based rather than _______ based.
time, event
Executive function
Umbrella-like concept that consists of a number of higher-level cognitive processes linked to the development of the brain’s prefrontal cortx
What specific parts of exec. funct. decline in late adulthood?
- Updating memory representations relevant for the task at hand
- Replacing old, irrelevant information
- Varies for everyone, general overall decline
Mindfulness can _______ older adults’ cognitive function.
improve
Wisdom
Expert knowledge about practical aspects of life that permits excellent judgement about important matters
Wisdom peaks in _______.
Middle adulthood
Education correlates positively with _______ in late adulthood.
intelligence and working memory
Why do modern jobs help older adults maintain intellectual abilities better than older ones?
Emphasis on cognitive tasks, complex information processing
“Use it or lose it”
If people do not utilize skills, they lose the ability to perform them
Can cognitive skills be retrained?
- Training can improve the cognitive skills of many adults
- There is some loss in plasticity in late adulthood
Neurocognitive scaffolding view
Increased activation in the prefrontal cortex with aging reflects an adaptive brain that is compensating for declining neural structures and function and declines in various aspects of cognition including working and long-term memory
Religious service attendance _______ in late adulthood.
increases
Secure attachment to Gd in late adulthood is linked to _______.
increased optimism
What can religious communities provide?
Social activities, social support, and opportunities for leadership
Older adults’ speech is typically _______.
quieter, slower, less precise, and less fluent
T or F
Discourse is more elaborate in late adulthood.
F, conflicting research results
What factors may impact declines in language skills?
Slower info-processing, a decline in working memory
T or F
Bilingualism delays the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.
T
T or F
Retirement age is decreasing.
F
Working during late adulthood is _______ for health.
positive
Why is retirement a thing at all?
(1935) Social security system
T or F
There is a dominant pattern of retirement.
F
Two main worries when approaching retirement
- Having to draw retirement income from savings
- Paying for healthcare expenses
Major depression
Mood disorder characterized by unhappiness, demoralization, and boredom
Depression is more likely to be _______ in late adults.
chronic
T or F
Middle adults display more symptoms of depression than late adults.
T
Depressed late adults are _______ likely to seek treatment.
less
Dementia
Global term for several neurological disorders involving an irreversible decline in mental function sever enough to interfere with daily living
Alzheimer disease
Progressive, irreversible brain disorder characterized by a gradual deterioration of memory, reasoning, language and eventually, physical function
What form as a result of Alzheimer disease?
Amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles
Amyloid plaques
Dense deposits of protein that accumulate in blood vessels
Neurofibrillary tangles
Twisted fibers that build up in neurons
Neurofibrillary tangles consist mainly of a protein called _______.
Tau
Oxidative stress
Occurs when the body’s antioxidant defenses don’t cope with free radical attacks and oxidation in the body
Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) is linked to an increased presence of _______.
plaques and tangles in the brain
ApoE4
Allele of ApoE, risk factor for Alzheimer disease
Mild cognitive impairment MCI
Represents a potential transitional state between the cognitive changes of normal aging and very early stages of Alzheimer disease
What drugs are used to treat Alzheimer disease?
Cholinesterase inhibitors
1. Aricept
2. Razadyne
3. Exelon
Namenda - regulates activity of glutamate
Respite care
Services that provide temporary relief
Parkinson disease
Chronic, progressive disease characterized by muscle tremors, slowing of movement, and partial face paralysis
