Physical and Cognitive Development in Middle Adulthood

Flashcards about physical and cognitive development during middle adulthood, covering reproductive changes, neurological shifts, health risks, and cognitive functions.

What is the more general term for menopause that refers to the years reproductive capacity declines?

Climacteric

What happens to testosterone levels during the male climacteric?

They slowly drop.

What are some potential treatments to restore sexual function in men experiencing male climacteric?

Addressing underlying medical conditions, lifestyle changes (regular aerobic exercise), and erectile function drugs.

What key sex hormones decline during female menopause?

Estrogen and progesterone

What are the three phases of female menopause?

Premenopausal, perimenopausal, and postmenopausal.

What percentage of the timing of menopause is hereditary?

50%

What factors influence the timing of menopause?

Heredity, health, and lifestyle factors.

What are some potential causes behind increased depressive symptoms during menopause?

Major life events and hormone-based medications.

What are some effects of primary aging in middle adulthood?

Graying hair and need for reading glasses.

What is the effect of secondary aging in middle adulthood?

Weight gain

What is the typical brain volume change trajectory in the 40s and 50s?

Gradual declines in total brain volume and gray matter volume.

What is one documented functional change in the brain during middle adulthood?

Declining cognitive processing speed

What factors contribute to cognitive reserve?

Education, maintained high grades, proficient writing skills, lifestyle factors.

What happens to bones during middle adulthood?

Loss of calcium, reduced bone mass, bones become more brittle and porous (osteoporosis).

What are some steps that can be taken to prevent osteoporosis?

Hormone therapy, daily calcium and vitamin D, regular exercise.

What are some vision changes that happen as a result of presbyopia?

Lens of the eye thickens and images become blurry.

What is presbycusis?

Gradual degeneration of auditory nerves and structures of the inner ear.

What percentage of deaths among U.S. middle-aged adults are attributed to cardiovascular disease?

35%

What condition is often caused by rupture of an accumulation of plaque?

Acute myocardial infarction

How do statin drugs reduce heart attack risk?

Reduce cholesterol levels, reverse plaque buildup

If an individual has a Type D personality, what is the impact of that on their health?

Increased rates of adverse cardiovascular events and higher mortality rates

What are some diseases in which Middle-aged men are equally as likely dying from, as they are heart disease?

Cancer

What are some causes of infectious disease and cancer?

Human papillomavirus (HPV), Epstein-Barr virus, Helicobacter pylori.

What are some of the effects of long-term heavy drinking?

Damages organs and the brain.

What disparities are linked to health based on disadvantages?

Social, economic, and/or environmental

How does education impact health in middle adulthood?

Increased education is related to better reported health.

What are the leading causes of death in middle adulthood, which may occur because of lack of routine screenings?

Cancer and CVD

Which race has the highest prevalence and mortality of prostate cancer?

Black Men

Which race has the highest prevalence and mortality of breast cancer?

Black Women

What are some causes of diabetes?

Poor diet, physical inactivity, sociocultural factors

What is selective optimization with compensation?

A process of balancing the gains and losses associated with aging including Selection, Optimization, and Compensation.

In terms of health, what is the simultaneous effect of primary and secondary aging?

Correlations between health, healthy behaviors, exercise, mortality, and cognition à effects of secondary aging

How does lack of mental exercise correlate with memory and congitive skills?

Lack of mental exercise tends to correlate with declines in memory and cognitive skills

What happens to the hippocampus as we age and experience episodic memories?

Age-related declines of hippocampus

What is a way to enhance creativity in later life?

Exercise