Communication, Sensory Systems, and Aging – Lecture Review

These vocabulary flashcards summarize key sensory, neurological, and communicative concepts related to aging and clinical disorders discussed in the lecture.

Eye disease in which fluid buildup increases intra-ocular pressure, damaging the optic nerve and threatening vision.

Glaucoma

Tactile sense that can compensate for lost visual input in visually impaired individuals.

Touch

Speech disorder caused by impaired motor control of the speech muscles, often seen after stroke.

Dysarthria

Chemical sense of smell that can evoke strong memories and emotions.

Olfaction

Quality of sound that conveys information such as emotion, age, or identity beyond pitch and loudness.

Timbre

Age-related shrinkage of the pupil that reduces the amount of light entering the eye.

Senile Miosis

Surgical removal of the larynx (voice box), resulting in loss of normal voice production.

Laryngectomy

“Old-eye” condition in which the lens loses flexibility, causing difficulty focusing on near objects.

Presbyopia

Aphasia characterized by fluent but nonsensical speech and impaired comprehension.

Receptive (Wernicke’s) Aphasia

Hearing loss due to blockage or dysfunction of the outer or middle ear (e.g., earwax, infection).

Conductive Hearing Loss

Most common post-stroke language disorder that disrupts comprehension, expression, or both.

Aphasia

Large, wrinkled outer brain region responsible for higher thought, motor planning, and sensory processing.

Cortex

Age-related clouding of the eye’s lens, common after 70 years of age.

Senile Cataracts

Primary human communication modality produced by coordinated motor and sensory systems.

Speech

Hearing loss caused by damage to the cochlea or auditory nerve.

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Brain structure that relays nearly all sensory information to the cerebral cortex.

Thalamus

Separation of the retina from its blood supply, leading to sudden vision loss.

Retinal Detachment

Aphasia in which comprehension is relatively intact but word production is slow or absent.

Expressive (Broca’s) Aphasia

Dominant sensory modality providing about 70 % of all sensory input.

Vision

Retinal blood-vessel damage and hemorrhage caused by long-term diabetes.

Diabetic Retinopathy

Nonverbal communication modality using gestures, posture, and facial expression.

Movement

Sensory modality that enables detection of sound direction, content, and speaker intent.

Hearing

Motor-planning disorder that disrupts the sequencing of speech muscle movements.

Verbal Apraxia

Chemical sense of taste, closely linked to olfaction for flavor perception.

Gustation

Brain division involved in thinking, language, emotion, and complex sensory processing.

Forebrain

Chronic lung disease that can reduce speech volume, shorten utterances, and alter pitch control.

COPD

Degenerative disease of the macula causing loss of central vision in older adults.

Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

Communication impairment resulting from reliance on a ventilator and inability to use vocal folds.

Speech Deficit (Mechanical Ventilation)

Any impairment that can block, distort, or slow the sending or receiving of messages.

Disability

Perceptual property indicating how high or low a sound is.

Pitch

Behaviors such as loud voice, head tilt, or repeated questions that suggest impaired hearing.

Hearing Loss Cues

Clouding of the eye’s lens that blurs vision and can be corrected surgically.

Cataract

Vision loss caused by deterioration or hardening of macular blood vessels.

Macular Degeneration

Loud speech, frequent requests for repetition, head tilting, and claims that others mumble.

Indicators of Hearing Loss

Two main categories: Conductive (outer/middle ear) and Sensorineural (inner ear/nerve).

Types of Hearing Loss

Includes Dysarthria, Verbal Apraxia, and Aphasia.

Pathological Speech/Language Disorders

Cortex, Thalamus, and Forebrain collectively support language and sensory integration.

Brain Areas Involved in Communication

Lens yellowing, reduced lens flexibility, and poorer color discrimination seen with aging.

Age-Related Vision Changes

Isolation, depression, repetitive questioning, and miscommunication.

Impacts of Hearing Loss

Label objects, reduce clutter, provide verbal cues, and place important items within remaining visual field.

Communication Tips for Visually Impaired

Presbyopia, reduced visual acuity, and increased light sensitivity.

Common Age-Related Vision Problems

Shaky voice, dry mouth, reduced vocal tone, and occasional word-finding errors.

Normal Speech/Language Changes with Aging

Vision, Hearing, Touch, Movement, and Speech work together for effective interaction.

Sensory Modalities in Communication

AMD, Glaucoma, Cataracts, Diabetic Retinopathy, and Retinal Detachment.

Pathological Vision Disorders in the Elderly

Noise exposure, ototoxic medications, head trauma, and inner-ear infection.

Causes of Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Embarrassment, social isolation, and decreased willingness to interact.

Impacts of Vision Loss on Communication

Use short sentences, face the person directly, and demonstrate desired actions.

Communication Tips for Language/Speech Disorders

Receptive (Wernicke) affects comprehension; Expressive (Broca) affects production.

Types of Aphasia

Glaucoma, Cataracts, and Age-related Macular Degeneration.

Pathological Causes of Vision Loss

Inattentiveness, misunderstanding speech, loud speaking, frequent repetition requests, turning up volume.

Signs of Hearing Loss

Olfaction and Gustation contribute to communication through smell and taste.

Chemical Senses

Ensure hearing aid is on, use gestures for support, and speak toward the stronger ear.

Hearing Device Communication Tips