psych 241 chapter 17

Alzheimer’s disease

A neurodegenerative disorder characterized by dementia and the deterioration of memory and personality, as well as marked by the presence of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the cerebral cortex.

Amyloid plaque

Found in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease, deposits of beta-amyloid accumulate along with clumps of dead neurons and glial cells.

Atherosclerosis

Condition in which arteries stiffen, and the walls accumulate cholesterol and fat plaques, which reduce blood flow; a cause of heart disease.

Cataract

A clouding of the lens of the eye, resulting in blurred, foggy vision and can lead to blindness.

Centenarians

Individuals who live past 100 years of age.

Cognitive reserve

The ability to make flexible and efficient use of available brain resources that permits cognitive efficiency, flexibility, and adaptability; it is cultivated throughout life from experience and environmental factors.

Dementia

A progressive deterioration in mental abilities due to changes in the brain that influence higher cortical functions such as thinking, memory, comprehension, and emotional control and are reflected in impaired thought and behavior, interfering with the older adult’s ability to engage in everyday activities.

Lewy body dementia

Common form of dementia characterized by the formation of spherical protein deposits known as Lewy bodies.

Macular degeneration

A substantial loss of cells in the center area of the retina (the macula), causing blurring and eventual loss of central vision; its onset is influenced by heredity and environmental factors.

Neurocognitive disorder

A label for a category of diseases that cause brain deterioration and symptoms of dementia (such as Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, and Lewy body disease).

Neurofibrillary tangle

A twisted bundle of threads of a protein called tau that occur in the brain when neurons collapse; found in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease.

Oldest-old

Adults aged 85 and older, who are most likely to depend on others for physical and social support to complete daily tasks.

Old-old

Adults aged 75 to 84, who typically live independently but often experience some physical and mental impairment.

Osteoarthritis

**The most common type of arthritis; it affects joints that are injured by overuse, most commonly the hips, knees, lower back, and hands, in which the cartilage protecting the ends of the bones where they meet at the joints wears away, and joints become less flexible and swell.**

Osteoporosis

A condition characterized by severe loss of bone mass, leading to increased risk of fractures.

Parkinson’s disease

A chronic progressive brain disorder caused by deterioration of neurons in the substantia nigra; characterized by muscle rigidity, tremors, and sometimes dementia.

Positivity effect

An age-related shift in attentional preferences from emphasizing negative information in early adulthood to positive information in late adulthood.

Proactive interference

A phenomenon that occurs when information that has previously been remembered interferes with memory for new information.

Reminiscence bump; finding that

Older adults are more likely to recall experiences early in life, between ages 10 and 30 than later in life.

Rheumatoid arthritis

An autoimmune illness in which the connective tissues, the membranes that line the joints, become inflamed and stiff.

Successful aging

Demonstrating high levels of physical, social, and psychological well-being in advanced age.

Vascular dementia

Neurocognitive disorder in which sporadic and progressive losses occur, caused by small blockages of blood vessels in the brain.

Wisdom

Expertise in the conduct and meanings of life, characterized by emotional maturity and the ability to show insight and apply it to problems.

Young-old

Older adults aged 65 to 74, who tend to be active, healthy, and financially and physically independent.