Exam Two Flashcards
Aging and Vision: Lens
elasticity of lens is reduced, and this is seen when trying to focus eyes
Aging and Vision: Cornea
can get transparent and flat, seen when things are blurred
Aging and Vision: Pupil
changes in autonomic nervous system, seen when dilating the pupil
Aging and Vision: Cataracts
cloudy area of lens, decrease the amount of light passing through (bends light)
Name two things that happen with olfaction and aging
Amygdala (smell)
Changes is air passages (odor recognition)
Give two reasons for hearing loss in aging
Stiffening of the tympanic membrane
Atrophy of small ear muscles
Give two age-related changes in touch
Loss of pain receptors
Reduction in number of sensory fibers innervating the skin
Psychosocial Theories of Aging: Activity Theory
States that through activity readjustment and life satisfaction can be achieved. We give up roles as we age-retirement, widowhood, drop out of organizations/clubs etc. People construct ideas about themselves from two major sources: the things that they do and the roles that they fill. Optimal aging is by those who stay active and resist withdrawal created by society.
Lemon, Bengtson, and Peterson
Distinguished among informal activity (friends), formal activity (participation in voluntary organizations), and solitary activity (maintenance of household).
Found only social activity with friends was significantly related to life satisfaction
Later – others found the formal activity was also a contributor.
What is are two problems with the Activity Theory
Assumes that individuals have control over their social situations as they get older or even when they are young
It assumes that people have the capacity to reconstruct their lives by substituting new roles or activities for those that were lost.
Psychosocial Theories of Aging: Disengagement Theory
Normal individuals and society mutually withdraw from normal interaction as we age
in a sense agreed upon by individual and society. It’s ‘good’ because we reminisce and review our life as we prepare for ultimate disengagement … death. All social systems, in order to maintain equilibrium, must disengage from the elderly.
Name two problems with Disengagement Theory
Tallmer and Kumer in 1970 observed that stress (loss of physical function or social interactions), rather than aging often produces disengagement.
Ignores individual meanings of “disengagement” – some prefer it and what appears disengaged to some may not be to others – some people like to read and reflect in peace and quiet etc
Psychosocial Theories of Aging: Continuity Theory
Adults make choices in an effort to preserve ties with their own past experiences – remain ‘continuous’ throughout life
Internal Continuity vs. External continuity
Memories of self: ideas, temperament, experiences, preferences, skill etc, we work to maintain ego//Memory of place and environment drives us to maintain our lifestyle as we age
How is successful aging defined?
In the end, we must adapt to our changing world due to the these biological, psychological and sociological changes in order to age ‘successfully’
Caloric Restriction
Caloric restriction (CR), fed 30%–40% fewer calories than their ad libitum-fed littermates, is shown to extend the maximum life span 30%–50% and to retard both the rate of biological aging and the development of age-associated diseases. Solely on the reduction of caloric intake, rather than intake of specific dietary nutrients. The impact on lifespan occurs because CR attenuates the onset of many age-related diseases, particularly cancer and generally reduces the expression of markers of age-related decline in function. Hence, the effect on lifespan is thought to be a consequence of a reduction in the rate of aging. The later the restriction starts, the lower the benefit relative to the same restriction in the same strain and conditions started at weaning.
What are two concerns of caloric restriction in humans?
Ethical concerns because it would be involuntary for at least the first decade of life.
An interesting question therefore is whether the hunger eventually dissipates on long-term CR
How do animals compensate for loss of energy input?
a combination of reductions in thermogenesis and reductions in activity
Caloric Restriction effects on brain
Neuronal function became much more impaired in the models that ate a regular diet compared with restricted eaters
Pain in older adults (2)
Depression
Health care costs
How does pain stop?
Stopping pain is inhibiting neurotransmission – as opposed to activating something to stop pain, you are inhibiting something that causes pain
Gate Control Theory
Say you bump your arm, then you rub it to make it feel better. Pain is perception. The rubbing sensation after is on a myelntated axon, and the pain is unmylenated. When you rub it, the stronger signal is perceived. Basically you closed the pain gate and opened the rubbing gate.
Compare to water flowing in the pipe, the smaller the less info you can pass thro, the bigger the more
Pressure and position sensory systems
- Pricking, -Adelta – fast-myelinated
- Burning and soreness – C fibers –slow
- Aching – C fibers - slow
Gateway Theory of Pain and fibers
After hitting one’s elbow or head, rubbing the area seems to provide some relief. This activates other sensory nerve fibers that are even faster than A-delta fibers,
A-beta fibers send information about pressure and touch that reach the spinal cord and brain to override some of the pain messages carried by the A-delta and C-fibers.
