Late Life and Neurocognitive Test Bank

Question 1

Ageism refers to

a) the physical deterioration that accompanies old age.
b) the intellectual deterioration that frequently occurs as a person ages.
c) the diversity present among older adults.
d) prejudice against a person based on their age.

Answer 1

d) prejudice against a person based on their age.

Question 2

The age at which one is considered ‘old,’ currently 65, is based upon

a) clear biological changes that begin at about that age.
b) social policy.
c) the age at which individuals begin to refer to themselves as old.
d) a scientific standard.

Answer 2

b) social policy.

Question 3

Which of the following age ranges fits the label “old-old”?

a) 65-74
b) 75-84
c) 85-94
d) 95+

Answer 3

b) 75-84

Question 4

All of these are myths about older adults except

a) most are lonely.
b) most are unhappy.
c) most complain about minor physical symptoms.
d) many may have mild cognitive losses.

Answer 4

d) many may have mild cognitive losses.

Question 5

People spend billions of dollars per year on cosmetics and __________ to reduce signs of aging.

a) plastic surgery
b) medication
c) hypnosis
d) perfumes

Answer 5

a) plastic surgery

Question 6

Approximately __________ percent of practicing psychologists conduct clinical work with older adults.

a) 20
b) 40
c) 50
d) 70

Answer 6

d) 70

Question 7

Compared with young people, people over the age of 60 tend to

a) experience more negative emotion.
b) experience less negative emotion.
c) experience more physiological reactivity in response to emotionally charged topics.
d) report more somatic symptoms.

Answer 7

b) experience less negative emotion.

Question 8

Older people are likely to underreport __________, perhaps because of beliefs that these are inevitable parts of life.

a) sore muscles
b) somatic symptoms
c) dizziness
d) absent-mindedness

Answer 8

b) somatic symptoms

Question 9

Social selectivity refers to

a) cultivating only one’s most important social relationships.
b) restricting one’s social interactions only to family members.
c) seeking out new social interactions.
d) seeking out solitary social activities.

Answer 9

a) cultivating only one’s most important social relationships.

Question 10

Which of the following medical problems is a particular problem for many older adults?

a) kidney disease
b) lung cancer
c) high blood pressure
d) insomnia

Answer 10

d) insomnia

Question 11

Which of the following statements is an example of a time-of-measurement effect?

a) Today’s older adults are less likely to seek mental health services because when they were growing up, mental illness was stigmatized.
b) Because exercise has become widely promoted in the media, many older adults are now exercising and thus are healthier than predicted by earlier measures of their physical well-being.
c) Because of the effects of aging on the brain, older adults do worse than younger adults on measures of “fluid” intelligence.
d) In a longitudinal study, many of the elderly subjects died before the follow-up data was collected.

Answer 11

b) Because exercise has become widely promoted in the media, many older adults are now exercising and thus are healthier than predicted by earlier measures of their physical well-being.

Question 12

Deterioration of cognitive abilities among the elderly, to the point that social and occupational functions are impaired, is called

a) absent-mindedness.
b) dementia.
c) age-related forgetting.
d) none of the above.

Answer 12

b) dementia.

Question 13

The course of dementia may be all of the following EXCEPT

a) progressive.
b) static.
c) remitting.
d) The course of dementia may include all of the above.

Answer 13

d) The course of dementia may include all of the above.

Question 14

The most prominent symptom of dementia is

a) difficulty remembering things.
b) disorientation.
c) aggressive behavior.
d) depression.

Answer 14

a) difficulty remembering things.

Question 15

A state of great mental confusion is called

a) deterioration.
b) delirium.
c) deregulation.
d) all of the above.

Answer 15

b) delirium.

Question 16

A group of people age 40 is compared to a group age 70. This type of research is called

a) longitudinal.
b) time-of-measurement.
c) cross-sectional.
d) cohort effect.

Answer 16

c) cross-sectional.

Question 17

As the hippies of the 1960s reach old age, research may find increased drug abuse among older adults. This increase would be a(n)

a) age effect.
b) cohort effect.
c) longitudinal effect.
d) time-of-measurement effect

Answer 17

b) cohort effect.

Question 18

In cross-sectional research on aging,

a) two age groups are compared at one point in time.
b) people with different mental disorders are compared at one point in time.
c) the same group of people is followed over time.
d) people from different cultures are compared at one point in time.

Answer 18

a) two age groups are compared at one point in time.

Question 19

Longitudinal studies involve

a) testing several different age groups on two or more measures.
b) testing age effects vs. cohort effects in a population.
c) testing one cohort over time.
d) testing the effects of time-of-measurement

Answer 19

c) testing one cohort over time.

Question 20

Which of the following statements is an example of selective mortality?

a) Today’s older adults are less likely to seek mental health services because when they were growing up, mental illness was stigmatized.
b) Because exercise has become widely promoted in the media, many older adults are now exercising and thus healthier than predicted by earlier measures of their physical well-being.
c) Because of the effects of aging on the brain, older adults do worse than younger adults on measures of “fluid” intelligence.
d) In a longitudinal study, many of the elderly subjects died before the follow-up data was collected.

Answer 20

d) In a longitudinal study, many of the elderly subjects died before the follow-up data was collected.

Question 21

As many as __________ percent of elderly people have at least one major medical condition.

a) 40
b) 50
c) 70
d) 80

Answer 21

d) 80

Question 22

The prescribing of multiple drugs to a person is called

a) drugging.
b) polypharmacy.
c) over-dosage.
d) all of the above.

Answer 22

b) polypharmacy.

Question 23

Psychoactive drugs can be dangerous when used with the elderly because

a) they are not tested on the elderly, only on young people.
b) side effects are more common.
c) toxicity is more of a problem.
d) all of the above.

Answer 23

d) all of the above.

Question 24

The consequences of being a certain chronological age are called

a) age effects.
b) cohort effects.
c) time-of-measurement effects.
d) none of these answers are correct.

Answer 24

a) age effects.

Question 25

The consequences of growing up during a particular time period with its unique challenges and opportunities are called

a) age effects.
b) cohort effects.
c) time-of-measurement effects.
d) none of these answers are correct.

Answer 25

b) cohort effects.

Question 26

Impairment in which of the following areas is the most prominent symptom of dementia?

a) memory
b) abstract thinking
c) judgment
d) language

Answer 26

a) memory

Question 27

What is an early sign of Alzheimer’s disease?

a) loss of sensation or motor control on one side of the body
b) difficulty comprehending speech
c) difficulty remembering new material
d) clouded states of consciousness

Answer 27

c) difficulty remembering new material

Question 28

Alzheimer’s disease is the result of

a) age-based slowing of all bodily processes.
b) low social and intellectual stimulation.
c) tangled abnormal protein filaments called neurofibrillary tangles.
d) side-effects of long-term medication, such as anti-Parkinson’s medication.

Answer 28

c) tangled abnormal protein filaments called neurofibrillary tangles.

Question 29

In what brain areas are abnormalities found in Alzheimer’s patients?

a) frontal cortex
b) sensory cortical areas
c) hippocampus
d) both a and c

Answer 29

d) both a and c

Question 30

Alzheimer’s disease is partly characterized by

a) plaques between neurons.
b) pick bodies within neurons.
c) cerebellum deterioration.
d) swelling of the cortex.

Answer 30

a) plaques between neurons.

Question 31

Plaques, which develop as part of Alzheimer’s disease, are

a) protein deposits that are outside neurons.
b) cholesterol remains from poor diet.
c) composed of serotonin and fatty deposits.
d) equivalent to neurofibrillary tangles.

Answer 31

a) protein deposits that are outside neurons.

Question 32

Which of the following has been shown to play a role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease?

a) head injury
b) immune system functioning
c) an abnormality on chromosome 19
d) all of the above

Answer 32

c) an abnormality on chromosome 19

Question 33

Which of the following may be protective against Alzheimer’s disease?

a) a healthy diet and no smoking
b) continued engagement in cognitive activities
c) an active lifestyle involving daily exercise and social interaction
d) all of the above

Answer 33

d) all of the above

Question 34

Frontal-temporal dementias (FTD) are characterized by

a) early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
b) primarily acetylcholine disturbance.
c) problems with executive function such as planning and problem solving.
d) Huntington’s chorea.

Answer 34

c) problems with executive function such as planning and problem solving.

Question 35

Dementia with Lewy bodies can be divided into the following subtypes:

a) occurring with Alzheimer’s or occurring without Alzheimer’s
b) occurring with Alzheimer’s or occurring with Parkinson’s
c) occurring with Parkinson’s and occurring without Parkinson’s
d) none of the above

Answer 35

c) occurring with Parkinson’s and occurring without Parkinson’s

Question 36

The symptoms of dementia with Lewy bodies are similar to those of

a) Parkinson’s.
b) Alzheimer’s.
c) Huntington’s chorea.
d) Both a and b.

Answer 36

d) Both a and b.

Question 37

Which of the following diseases can produce dementia?

a) meningitis
b) encephalitis
c) HIV
d) all of the above

Answer 37

d) all of the above

Question 38

Standard treatment for Alzheimer’s disease includes

a) behavior therapy to maintain cognitive skills.
b) helping the victim recognize deterioration and make plans.
c) drugs to reduce toxic neurotransmitter levels.
d) drugs to increase acetylcholine levels

Answer 38

d) drugs to increase acetylcholine levels

Question 39

Psychological treatments for individuals with Alzheimer’s

a) focus on helping the individual admit to and understand their cognitive deficiencies and limitations.
b) are usually psychodynamic.
c) focus on helping patients and families deal with the effects of the disease.
d) can remove their memory deficits.

Answer 39

c) focus on helping patients and families deal with the effects of the disease.

Question 40

Compared with care-giving for other disorders, care-giving for people with __________ requires much more time.

a) delirium
b) schizophrenia
c) bipolar disorder
d) dementia

Answer 40

d) dementia

Question 41

Which of the following predicts resiliency among caregivers?

a) When the patient has more severe behavioral problems.
b) When the caregiver has high levels of social support.
c) When the caregiver works in mental health services.
d) When the caregiver is committed to changing the behavior of the patient.

Answer 41

b) When the caregiver has high levels of social support.

Question 42

Delirium, but not dementia, is characterized by

a) slow onset.
b) cognitive confusion.
c) daily fluctuations
d) poor judgment.

Answer 42

c) daily fluctuations

Question 43

After being released from a brief hospitalization for minor surgery, 70-year-old Mrs. Bee seemed distractible and disoriented. She did not even recognize her husband when he came to pick her up from the hospital. After they returned home, they discussed their plans for the weekend and Mrs. Bee seemed fine, but as night came on, she could not sleep and began accusing Mr. Bee of throwing away her belongings while she was away. Which of the following disorders best fits Mrs. Bee’s symptoms?

a) delusional (paranoid) disorder
b) early dementia, probably Alzheimer’s disease
c) delirium
d) depression

Answer 43

c) delirium

Question 44

Delirium can occur only

a) after age 70.
b) following a stroke.
c) after a significant life stressor such as loss of a spouse.
d) None of the above. Delirium can occur at any time.

Answer 44

d) None of the above. Delirium can occur at any time.

Question 45

Stress following surgery is a common precipitant for the onset of

a) Alzheimer’s disease.
b) delirium.
c) Parkinson’s disease.
d) hydrocephalus.

Answer 45

b) delirium.

Question 46

If you are talking to a person with delirium, it may feel as if you are talking

a) to someone who has suffered amnesia.
b) to a child.
c) to someone who is depressed.
d) to someone who is drunk.

Answer 46

d) to someone who is drunk.

Question 47

Delirium that is not treated

a) resolves itself.
b) reoccurs.
c) can be fatal.
d) progresses into dementia.

Answer 47

c) can be fatal.

Question 48

Individuals with dementia are at high risk for

a) delirium.
b) meningitis.
c) schizophrenia.
d) dehydration.

Answer 48

a) delirium.

Question 49

Which of the following is not a reason for why rates of psychopathology are so low late in life?

a) Older adults may underreport symptoms.
b) Cohort effects.
c) People with mental illness are at risk for early death.
d) Dementia masks most other psychopathology.

Answer 49

d) Dementia masks most other psychopathology.

Question 50

More than __________ percent of older adults with generalized anxiety disorder reported that their anxiety symptoms began before the age of 65.

a. 25
b) 50
c) 70
d) 97

Answer 50

d) 97

Question 51

Which of the following is NOT a methodological issue when studying psychological disorders in late adulthood?

a) selective mortality
b) response biases
c) cohort effects
d) lack of anonymity

Answer 51

d) lack of anonymity

Question 52

Adults with diagnoses of psychological disorders are more likely to die earlier due to

a) substance abuse
b) cardiovascular disease
c) compromised immune function
d) all of the above

Answer 52

d) all of the above

Question 53

Depression in older adults differs from depression in younger adults by having higher levels of

a) cognitive symptoms.
b) suicidal ideation.
c) hostility.
d) agitation.

Answer 53

a) cognitive symptoms.

Question 54

Depression in older adults is often linked to

a) medical illnesses.
b) dopamine changes.
c) retirement.
d) social isolation

Answer 54

a) medical illnesses.

Question 55

Which of the following is not an established intervention for depression in older adults?

a) psychotherapy
b) antidepressant medication
c) St. John’s wort
d) electroconvulsive therapy

Answer 55

c) St. John’s wort

Question 56

The idea that some people may be able to compensate for neurocognitive diseases by using alternative brain networks or cognitive strategies such that cognitive symptoms are less pronounced is called

a) cognitive reserve
b) cognitive adjustment
c) mental compensation
d) none of the above

Answer 56

a) cognitive reserve

Question 57

The DSM-5 criteria for delirium include of the following criteria EXCEPT

a) disturbance in attention and awareness.
b) a change in cognition, not better accounted for by a dementia.
c) symptoms caused by Alzheimer’s disease.
d) evidence that symptoms are caused by a medical condition.

Answer 57

c) symptoms caused by Alzheimer’s disease.

Question 58

The difference between dementia and delirium is that

a) dementia is a gradual deterioration.
b) delirium has a rapid onset.
c) dementia is not explained by another medical condition.
d) all of the above.

Answer 58

d) all of the above.

Question 59

One of the most common triggers of delirium is

a) surgery.
b) loneliness.
c) loss of employment.
d) none of the above.

Answer 59

a) surgery.