Lecture 14 Flashcards
Complex, physical, social, economic, psychological process with medical, legal economic, and public health policy challenges
Aging
Stereotyping and discriminating on basis of age
Ageism
Where does ageism take place?
Health profession, caregivers and family
Limited warranty, wears out with use
Wear and tear theory
Accumulation of haphazard or random damage to cells and organs
Free radicals
What are the 3 theories of aging?
wear and tear, genetics, cellular aging
Mechanism in DNA regulates life, growth and death
Genetic theories
Limit on cell division, stress, lack of exercise, obesity, and toxins can shorten telomeres
Cellular aging theory
Humans and computers are viewed as information processing systems; information is processed as it moves through the system
Information processing theory
What is the input according to the information processing theory?
sensory information
What is the output according to the information processing theory?
decision or behavior
What are the 3 structures of the information processing theory?
sensory, short term, long term memory
Initial registration, briefly retains large amounts of information in milliseconds
Sensory memory
What must happen to sensory memory for it to become short term memory?
Paying attention
Capacity is smaller but last longer (seconds), holds info long enough to work with it
Short term memory
Combining info coming into sensory memory with info stored in long term memory and transforming it into new forms
working memory
What is the capacity of working memory?
3-7 chunks
How long is working memory
15-30 seconds
Applying cognitive information to short term memory
Long-term storage
What is the capacity of long term memory?
Limitless
How long is long term memory?
Limitless, indefinitely
What happens to sensory memory in late adulthood?
not as sharp
What happens to working memory in late adulthood?
Information from sensory storage is degraded, processing speed slows
What happens to long term memory in late adulthood?
Declarative and recall memory declines, procedural and recognition memory stay intact
Memory available to conscious awareness
Declarative
Implicit, not available to conscious awareness
Procedural
Remembering to do stuff
Prospective memory
What is the difference in prospective memory for late adulthood in a natural vs. lab setting?
Lab setting: may not have good prospective memory
Natural: Late adulthood does better in natural setting
How do you transition from short term memory to long term memory?
Rehearsal
Rates of NCD increase with every decade after ___ years
70
What is the number 1 symptom of NCD’s?
memory loss
Most common NCD, destroys ability to send and receive messages
Alzheimer’s
Clumps of beta amyloid protein surrounding the neuron
Plaques
Twisted mass of tau protein within the neuron
Tangles
What type of memory erodes in Alzheimer’s?
Working memory
___-___% of cognitively normal elders had plaques and tangles at autopsy
20-30
Why is the Nun Study the best study for finding the causes of Alzheimer’s?
Longitudinal study, daily diaries written around 22 years old, equivalent diet and other environmental factors
Gene that has been linked to Alzheimer’s; more likely to develop the NCD
APOE 4
___% of those with Alzheimer’s had low linguistic ability earlier in life
90
____% of those without Alzheimer’s also had low linguistic ability earlier in life
13
Low linguistically ability early in life could be a subtle symptom of very early changes that ultimately lead to disease
Neurocognitive reserve
Temporary obstruction of blood vessels in brain; 2nd most common NCD
Vascular NCD
Blurred vision, weak, paralyzed limbs slurred speech, confusion
At time symptoms of vascular NCD
Progressive loss of intellectual functioning
Long run symptoms of vascular NCD
What is the difference between Alzheimer’s and vascular NCD symptomology?
Alzheimer’s is a steady decline while vascular NCD is a suddenly worse, improve somewhat, then experience another loss
Areas that regulate emotions and social behavior deteriorate
Prefrontal cortex and amygdala
Emotional and personality changes that progress very quickly
Frontal lobe disorders
Starts with motor control impairment
Parkinson’s disease
What are ways to treat NCD?
Stem cell therapy, surgery and medicine to prevent stroke
What are ways to prevent NCD?
Exercise, nutrition, social interaction, mental exercise
