Developmental Psychology Chapter 18
Cognitive Functioning in Older Adults
Multidimensionality and Multidirectionality
Cognitive Mechanics and Cognitive Pragmatics
cognitive mechanics
hardwire of the mind
reflect the neurophysiological architecture of the brain that was developed through evolution
consist of the speed and accuracy of the processes involved in
sensory input
attention
visual and motor memory
discrimination
comparison
categorization
likely to decline with age
decline in cognitive mechanics may begin as soon as early midlife
like fluid intelligence
cognitive pragmatics
culture-based software programs of the mind
include
reading and writing skills
language comprehension
educational qualifications
professional skills
self-understanding and life skills that help us to master or cope with challenges
possible for them to continue improving into old age
may actually improve, at least until individuals become very old
like crystallized intelligence
Speed of Processing
declines in late adulthood
considerable individual variation
correlated with physical aspects of aging
slowing of processing speed is linked to the emergence of dementia over the next six years
processing speed and health status are among the best predictors of living longer
decline in processing speed in older adults is likely due to a decline in functioning of the brain and central nervous system
processing speed is an important indicator of the ability of older adults to continue to safely drive a vehicle
exercise interventions can improve older adults’ processing speed
high-intensity aerobic training
Attention
in many contexts older adults may not be able to focus on relevant information as effectively as younger adults can
less effective attention and processing speed were linked to declining memory in older adults
older adults are less able to ignore distracting info than younger adults
becomes more pronounced as attentional demands increase
greater distractibility of older adults is associated with less effective functioning in neural networks in the frontal and parietal lobes (cognitive control)
**==selective attention: ==**focusing on a specific, relevant aspect of experience while ignoring the irrelevant aspects
older adults are less adept at selective attention
training in speed of processing improves selective attention
**@@divided attention: @@**concentrating on more than one activity at the same time
the more difficult the competing tasks are, the less effectively older adults divide attention compared with younger adults
**sustained attention: **focused and extended engagement with an object, task, event, etc. aka vigilance
with simple vigilance: older adults perform as well as younger adults
complex: older adults performance usually drops
the greater the variability in their sustained attention, the more likely they were to experience falls
older adults’ wisdom and experience might offset some of their declines in vigilance
executive attention: planning actions, allocating attention to goals, detecting and compensating for errors, etc etc
older adults have deficiencies in executive attention
executive attention training improved the selection attention and divided attention of older adults
Memory
Explicit and Implicit Memory
aging is linked with a decline in explicit memory
**^^explicit / declarative memory: ^^**memory of facts and experiences that individuals consciously know and can state
**^^implicit memory: ^^**memory without conscious recollection
implicit memory is less likely to be adversely affected by aging
Episodic Memory and Semantic Memory
forms of explicit memory
episodic memory: retention of info about the details of life’s happenings
younger adults have better episodic memory than older adults have for both real and imagined events
in older adults, the older the memory is, the less accurate it is
autobiographical memories are stored as episodic memories
reminiscence bump: adults remember more events from the second and third decades of their lives than from other decades
found more for positive than negative life events
semantic memory: a person’s knowledge about the world
independent of an individual’s personal identity with the past
ability to retrieve very specific info usually declines in older adults
episodic memory declines more than semantic memory
tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon: individuals can’t quite retrieve familiar info but have the feeling that they should be able to retrieve it
older adults are more likely to experience TOT states
Working Memory
closely linked to short-term memory but places more emphasis on memory as a place for mental work
declines during late adulthood
continues to decline from 65-89
older adults’ working memory can be improved through training
aerobic endurance was linked to better working memory in older adults
Source Memory
ability to remember where one learned something
failures of source memory increase with age in the adult years
self-referenced encoding improves the source memory of older adults
older adults with better source memory were characterized by healthy cardiovascular markers and psychological traits
older adults with good retrieval strategies had no deficits in source memory
Prospective Memory
remembering to do something in the future
remembering to remember
decline in prospective memory with age
depends on the nature of the task, what is being assessed, and the context of the assessment
age-related deficits occur more often in prospective memory tasks that are time-based rather than those that are event-based
impaired in those with mild alzheimers
declines in prospective memory occur more often in labs than in real-life settings
Conclusions About Memory and Aging
most, but not all, aspects of memory decline during late adulthood
decline in perceptual speed is associated with memory decline
Executive Function
managing one’s thoughts to engage in goal-directed behavior and to exercise self-control
prefrontal cortex shrinks with aging
linked with a decrease in working memory and other cognitive activities
execute function skills decline in older adults
aspects of working memory that especially decline
updating memory representations that are relevant for the task at hand
replacing old, no longer relevant info
older adults are less effective at engaging in cognitive control
switching back and forth between tasks or mental sets
inhibiting dominant or automatic responses
variability in executive function among older adults
highly educated older adults have better executive function
associated with slower age-related reduction in executive function
aerobic exercise improves executive function in older adults
deficits in executive function but not memory predicted a higher risk of coronary heart disease and stroke three years later
executive function in older adults increased their sense of control, which is associated with higher life satisfaction and positive affect
Metacognition
when older adults engage in metacognitive monitoring of their performance, their visual short-term memory benefits
older adults perform worse on metacognition tasks
deterioration in metacognition is linked to older adults’ life satisfaction
theory of mind abilities decline in older adults
due to declines in cognitive skills and declines in prefrontal cortex functioning
Mindfulness
being alert, mentally present, and cognitively flexible
some, but not all, studies have shown that mindfulness training improves older adult’s cognitive functioning
Wisdom
expert knowledge about the practical aspects of life that permits excellent judgment about important matters
high levels of wisdom are rare
time frame of late adolescence and early adulthood is the main age window for wisdom to emerge
factors other than age are critical for wisdom to develop to a high level
certain life experiences
values that are more likely to consider the welfare of others
personality-related factors
education
wisdom peaks in midlife
Education, Work, and Health
Education
successive generations in america are better educated
today’s older adults were more likely to go to college than their parents
more older adults are returning to college to further their education
higher educational attainment is strongly associated with older adults’ working memory
older adults with less education had lower cognitive abilities
for older adults with less education, frequently engaging in cognitive activities improved their episodic memory
Work
successive generations have had work experiences that include a stronger emphasis on cognitively oriented labor
younger generations will have more experience in jobs that require considerable cognitive investment
when older adults engage in complex working tasks and challenging daily work activities, their cognitive functioning shows less age-related decrease
Health
successive generations have been healthier in late adulthood as better treatments for a variety of illnesses have developed
cardiovascular disease is associated with cognitive decline in older adults
depression is linked to lower executive attention, memory, and language performance
some of the decline in intellectual performance found in older adults is likely due to health-related factors rather than to age
exercise is linked to improved cognitive functioning in older adults
dietary patterns are linked to cognitive functioning in older adults
terminal decline: changes in cognitive functioning may be linked more to distance from death or cognition-related pathology than to distance from birth
Use It or Lose It
changes in cognitive activity patterns might result in disuse and consequent atrophy of cognitive skills
mental activities that likely benefit the maintenance of cognitive skills in older adults
reading books
doing crossword puzzles
going to lectures and concerts
Training Cognitive Skills
training can improve the cognitive skills of many older adults
there is some loss in plasticity in late adulthood, especially in those 85+
sustained engagement in cognitively demanding, novel activities improved the older adults’ episodic memory
improving the physical fitness of older adults can enhance their cognitive functioning
engaging in mild or moderate exercise was linked to improved cognitive functioning in older adults with chronic disease
engagement in physical activity in late adulthood was linked to less cognitive decline
an in-home exergame training program improved their executive function
changes in cognitive activity predicted cognitive outcomes as long as two decades later
when older adults continued to increase their engagement in cognitive and physical activities, they were better able to maintain their cognitive functioning in late adulthood
nutritional supplements, brain games, and software products have unrealistic claims
most research has not provided consistent plausible evidence that dietary supplements can accomplish major cognitive goals in aging adults over a number of years
some software-based cognitive training games have been found to improve older adults’ cognitive functioning, but the gains typically occur only for the specific cognitive task assessed
effectiveness of brain games is often exaggerated
little evidence that playing brain games in late adulthood improves underlying broad cognitive abilities or that the games help older adults to function more competently in everyday life
Cognitive Neuroscience and Aging
explores the links between brain activity and cognitive functioning
changes in the brain can influence cognitive functioning, and changes in cognitive functioning can influence the brain
aging of the brain’s prefrontal cortex may produce a decline in working memory
cognitive interventions that activate older adults’ working memory may increase these neural connections
older adults are more likely than younger adults to use both hemispheres of the brain to compensate for declines in attention, memory, executive function, and language that occur with age
functioning of the hippocampus declines to a lesser degree than the functioning of the frontal lobe
patterns of neural decline with aging are more dramatic for retrieval than for encoding
cortical thickness in the frontoparietal network products executive function in older adults
younger adults have better connectivity between brain regions than older adults do
Language Development
in late adulthood, some decrements in language skills may appear
difficulty in retrieving words to use in conversation and problems understanding spoken language in certain contexts
in less than ideal listening conditions older adults can have difficulty understanding speech
may be due to hearing loss as well as cognitive impairment
most language skills decline little among older adults if they’re healthy
older adults’ speech is typically lower in volume, slower, less precisely articulated, and less fluent
conflicting info about changes in discourse
non language factors may be responsible for some of the declines in language skills that do occur in older adults
slower information processing speed
decline in working memory
language skills decline among individuals with alzheimers
difficulties in finding and generating words are one of the earliest symptoms of alzheimers
difficulty on tests of semantic verbal fluency
make more grammatical errors
less likely to use synaptic components
bilingualism may delay the onset of alzheimers
Work and Retirement
Work
older workers who continued working beyond retirement age were motivated by factors involving financial status, health, knowledge, and purpose in life
lower-income older adults are more likely to work in more physically demanding jobs, making it more difficult for them to continue working when they get old
us workers are reasonably satisfied with their jobs
older us workers are the most satisfied of all age groups
significant individuals in worker satisfaction
older workers take fewer sick days and demonstrate stronger problem-solving sets
cognitive ability is one of the best predictors of job performance in older adults
changes in federal law now allow individuals over 65 to continue working
working in an occupation with a high level of mental demands is linked to higher levels of cognitive functioning before retirement and a slower rate of cognitive decline after retirement
a cognitively stimulating work context promotes successful aging
older adults who work have better physical and cognitive profiles than those who retire
physical functioning declined faster in retirement than in full-time work for individuals 65+
retirement increased the risk of having a heart attack in older adults
individuals who retired for health reasons had lower verbal memory and verbal fluency than their counterparts who retired voluntarily or for family reasons
Retirement in the United States and in Other Countries
Retirement in the United States
on average, today’s workers will spend 10 to 15 percent of their lives in retirement
the average number of years spent in retirement is 18 yrs
37% of americans retire earlier than they planned
about 7 million retired americans return to work after they retired about 4 yrs after retirement
jobs pay less than pre-retirement jobs
about ⅔ are happy to do so
⅓ needed to go back to work to meet financial needs
Work and Retirement in Other Countries
France has the earliest average retirement age
Korea had the oldest average retirement age
a substantial percentage of individuals expect to continue working as long as possible before retiring
Japanese retirees missed the work slightly more than expected and the money considerably less than expected
US retirees missed the work and the money slightly less than expected
workplace organizational pressures, financial security, and poor physical and mental health were antecedents of early retirement
an increasing number of adults are beginning to reject the early retirement option as they hear about people who retired and then regretted it
Adjustment to Retirement
older adults who adjust best to retirement are healthy, have adequate income, are active, are better educated, have an extended social network, and usually were satisfied with their lives before they retired
the US retirement system is in transition
main worries of individuals approaching retirement
having to draw retirement income from savings
paying for health care expenses
flexibility is a key factor
cultivating interests and friends unrelated to work improves adaptation to retirement
planning ahead and then successfully carrying out the plan are important aspects of adjusting well in retirement
Mental Health
Depression
major depression: mood disorder in which the individual is deeply unhappy, demoralized, self-derogatory, and bored
symptoms: doesn’t feel well, loses stamina easily, has a poor appetite, is listlessness and unmotivated
not more common in older adults than in younger adults
not more often caused by psychological factors in older adults
compared with middle-aged adults, depression in older adults is more likely to be chronic
lower frequency of depressive symptoms in older adults compared with middle-aged adults was linked to
fewer economic hardships
fewer negative social interchanges
increased religiosity
for most of late adulthood, women have higher rates of depression and more severe depression than males
lower incomes
having one or more chronic illnesses
most common predictors of depression in older adults
earlier depressive symptoms
poor health
disability
losses of loved ones
social isolation
insomnia
curtailment of daily activities
increase in self-critical thinking
depression is a treatable condition
depressed older adults are less likely to receive treatment for their depression than younger adults are
80% of older adults with depressive symptoms receive no treatment
antidepressants are less effective with older adults
ect is more effective for older adults
exercise can reduce depression
engagement in valued activities and religious / spiritual involvement
major depression can result in suicidal tendencies
the older adult most likley to commit suicide is a male who lives alone, has lost his spouse, and is experiencing failing health
triggers for suicidal ideation
physical discomfort
loss of respect or support from family
impulsive emotions due to conflicts with others
painful memories
feelings of loneliness
sense of helplessness
low self-worth
declines in socioeconomic status
linked to lower levels of suicidal ideation
support from family and friends
emotional control
comfort from religion
Dementia, Alzheimer Disease, and Other Afflictions
Dementia
neurological disorders involving an irreversible decline in mental function severe enough to interfere with daily life
alzheimers are the most common type
second most frequent: vascular dementia
medium to high levels of physical activity were linked with lower rates of dementia
Alzheimer Disease
progressive, irreversible brain disorder
characterized by a gradual deterioration of memory, reasoning, language, and physical function
sixth leading cause of death in the us
⅔ of those with alzheimer's in the us are women
percentage of individuals with alzheimer's increases dramatically with age
Causes
deficiency in the brain messenger chemical acetylcholine, which plays an important role in memory
as alzheimer's progresses, the brain shrinks and deteriorates
formation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles
amyloid plaques: dense deposits of protein that accumulate in the blood vessels
neurofibrillary tangles: twisted fibers that build up in neurons. mainly consist of a protein called tau
increasing interest in the role that oxidative stress and mitochondria might play
oxidative stress occurs when the body’s antioxidant defenses don’t cope with free radical attacks and oxidation in the body
mitochondrial dysfunction is an early event in alzheimer’s
age is an important risk factor
genes may also play an important role
Early Detection
mild cognitive impairment: risk factor for alzheimer’s
distinguishing between individuals who merely have age-associated declines in memory and those with mci is difficult
individuals with mci who developed alzheimer’s had at least one copy of the ApoE4 gene
Drug Treatment of Alzheimer Disease
five approved drugs
cholinesterase inhibitors designed to improve memory and other cognitive functions by increasing levels of acetylcholine in the brain
do not reduce progression to dementia from mild cognitive impairment
regulates the activity of glutamate, which is involved in processing info
improve cognition and overall mental ability
current drugs used to treat alzheimer’s only slow the downward progression of the disease, but don’t address its cause
Caring for Individuals with Alzheimer Disease
family can be an important support system
family members can become emotionally and physically drained
family caregivers’ health-related quality of life in the first three years after they began caring for a family member with alzheimer’s deteriorated more than their same age and gender counterparts who were not caring for an alzheimer patient
respite care: services that provide temporary relief for those who are caring for individuals with disabilities, individuals with illnesses, or the elderly
provides an important break from the burden of providing chronic care
Parkinson Disease
chronic, progresssive disease characterized by muscle tremors, slowing of movement, and partial facial paralysis
triggered by degeneration of dopamine-producing neurons in the brain
main treatment: administering drugs that enhance the effect of dopamine in the disease’s earlier stages and later administering the drug l-dopa, which is converted by the brain into dopamine
treatment for advanced parkinson’s: deep brain stimulation. involves implantation of electrodes within the brain
Religion and Spirituality
religious service attendance was stable in middle adulthood, increased in late adulthood, then declined later in the older adult years
individuals with a stronger spiritual / religious orientation were more likely to live longer
secure attachment to God was linked to increased optimism and self-esteem
religious service attendance was associated with a higher level of resilience in life and lower levels of depression
religion can help older adults
face impending death
find and maintain a sense of meaning in life
accept the inevitable losses of old age
religion can provide older adults with
social activities
social support
opportunity to assume teaching and leadership roles
Cognitive Functioning in Older Adults
Multidimensionality and Multidirectionality
Cognitive Mechanics and Cognitive Pragmatics
cognitive mechanics
hardwire of the mind
reflect the neurophysiological architecture of the brain that was developed through evolution
consist of the speed and accuracy of the processes involved in
sensory input
attention
visual and motor memory
discrimination
comparison
categorization
likely to decline with age
decline in cognitive mechanics may begin as soon as early midlife
like fluid intelligence
cognitive pragmatics
culture-based software programs of the mind
include
reading and writing skills
language comprehension
educational qualifications
professional skills
self-understanding and life skills that help us to master or cope with challenges
possible for them to continue improving into old age
may actually improve, at least until individuals become very old
like crystallized intelligence
Speed of Processing
declines in late adulthood
considerable individual variation
correlated with physical aspects of aging
slowing of processing speed is linked to the emergence of dementia over the next six years
processing speed and health status are among the best predictors of living longer
decline in processing speed in older adults is likely due to a decline in functioning of the brain and central nervous system
processing speed is an important indicator of the ability of older adults to continue to safely drive a vehicle
exercise interventions can improve older adults’ processing speed
high-intensity aerobic training
Attention
in many contexts older adults may not be able to focus on relevant information as effectively as younger adults can
less effective attention and processing speed were linked to declining memory in older adults
older adults are less able to ignore distracting info than younger adults
becomes more pronounced as attentional demands increase
greater distractibility of older adults is associated with less effective functioning in neural networks in the frontal and parietal lobes (cognitive control)
**==selective attention: ==**focusing on a specific, relevant aspect of experience while ignoring the irrelevant aspects
older adults are less adept at selective attention
training in speed of processing improves selective attention
**@@divided attention: @@**concentrating on more than one activity at the same time
the more difficult the competing tasks are, the less effectively older adults divide attention compared with younger adults
**sustained attention: **focused and extended engagement with an object, task, event, etc. aka vigilance
with simple vigilance: older adults perform as well as younger adults
complex: older adults performance usually drops
the greater the variability in their sustained attention, the more likely they were to experience falls
older adults’ wisdom and experience might offset some of their declines in vigilance
executive attention: planning actions, allocating attention to goals, detecting and compensating for errors, etc etc
older adults have deficiencies in executive attention
executive attention training improved the selection attention and divided attention of older adults
Memory
Explicit and Implicit Memory
aging is linked with a decline in explicit memory
**^^explicit / declarative memory: ^^**memory of facts and experiences that individuals consciously know and can state
**^^implicit memory: ^^**memory without conscious recollection
implicit memory is less likely to be adversely affected by aging
Episodic Memory and Semantic Memory
forms of explicit memory
episodic memory: retention of info about the details of life’s happenings
younger adults have better episodic memory than older adults have for both real and imagined events
in older adults, the older the memory is, the less accurate it is
autobiographical memories are stored as episodic memories
reminiscence bump: adults remember more events from the second and third decades of their lives than from other decades
found more for positive than negative life events
semantic memory: a person’s knowledge about the world
independent of an individual’s personal identity with the past
ability to retrieve very specific info usually declines in older adults
episodic memory declines more than semantic memory
tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon: individuals can’t quite retrieve familiar info but have the feeling that they should be able to retrieve it
older adults are more likely to experience TOT states
Working Memory
closely linked to short-term memory but places more emphasis on memory as a place for mental work
declines during late adulthood
continues to decline from 65-89
older adults’ working memory can be improved through training
aerobic endurance was linked to better working memory in older adults
Source Memory
ability to remember where one learned something
failures of source memory increase with age in the adult years
self-referenced encoding improves the source memory of older adults
older adults with better source memory were characterized by healthy cardiovascular markers and psychological traits
older adults with good retrieval strategies had no deficits in source memory
Prospective Memory
remembering to do something in the future
remembering to remember
decline in prospective memory with age
depends on the nature of the task, what is being assessed, and the context of the assessment
age-related deficits occur more often in prospective memory tasks that are time-based rather than those that are event-based
impaired in those with mild alzheimers
declines in prospective memory occur more often in labs than in real-life settings
Conclusions About Memory and Aging
most, but not all, aspects of memory decline during late adulthood
decline in perceptual speed is associated with memory decline
Executive Function
managing one’s thoughts to engage in goal-directed behavior and to exercise self-control
prefrontal cortex shrinks with aging
linked with a decrease in working memory and other cognitive activities
execute function skills decline in older adults
aspects of working memory that especially decline
updating memory representations that are relevant for the task at hand
replacing old, no longer relevant info
older adults are less effective at engaging in cognitive control
switching back and forth between tasks or mental sets
inhibiting dominant or automatic responses
variability in executive function among older adults
highly educated older adults have better executive function
associated with slower age-related reduction in executive function
aerobic exercise improves executive function in older adults
deficits in executive function but not memory predicted a higher risk of coronary heart disease and stroke three years later
executive function in older adults increased their sense of control, which is associated with higher life satisfaction and positive affect
Metacognition
when older adults engage in metacognitive monitoring of their performance, their visual short-term memory benefits
older adults perform worse on metacognition tasks
deterioration in metacognition is linked to older adults’ life satisfaction
theory of mind abilities decline in older adults
due to declines in cognitive skills and declines in prefrontal cortex functioning
Mindfulness
being alert, mentally present, and cognitively flexible
some, but not all, studies have shown that mindfulness training improves older adult’s cognitive functioning
Wisdom
expert knowledge about the practical aspects of life that permits excellent judgment about important matters
high levels of wisdom are rare
time frame of late adolescence and early adulthood is the main age window for wisdom to emerge
factors other than age are critical for wisdom to develop to a high level
certain life experiences
values that are more likely to consider the welfare of others
personality-related factors
education
wisdom peaks in midlife
Education, Work, and Health
Education
successive generations in america are better educated
today’s older adults were more likely to go to college than their parents
more older adults are returning to college to further their education
higher educational attainment is strongly associated with older adults’ working memory
older adults with less education had lower cognitive abilities
for older adults with less education, frequently engaging in cognitive activities improved their episodic memory
Work
successive generations have had work experiences that include a stronger emphasis on cognitively oriented labor
younger generations will have more experience in jobs that require considerable cognitive investment
when older adults engage in complex working tasks and challenging daily work activities, their cognitive functioning shows less age-related decrease
Health
successive generations have been healthier in late adulthood as better treatments for a variety of illnesses have developed
cardiovascular disease is associated with cognitive decline in older adults
depression is linked to lower executive attention, memory, and language performance
some of the decline in intellectual performance found in older adults is likely due to health-related factors rather than to age
exercise is linked to improved cognitive functioning in older adults
dietary patterns are linked to cognitive functioning in older adults
terminal decline: changes in cognitive functioning may be linked more to distance from death or cognition-related pathology than to distance from birth
Use It or Lose It
changes in cognitive activity patterns might result in disuse and consequent atrophy of cognitive skills
mental activities that likely benefit the maintenance of cognitive skills in older adults
reading books
doing crossword puzzles
going to lectures and concerts
Training Cognitive Skills
training can improve the cognitive skills of many older adults
there is some loss in plasticity in late adulthood, especially in those 85+
sustained engagement in cognitively demanding, novel activities improved the older adults’ episodic memory
improving the physical fitness of older adults can enhance their cognitive functioning
engaging in mild or moderate exercise was linked to improved cognitive functioning in older adults with chronic disease
engagement in physical activity in late adulthood was linked to less cognitive decline
an in-home exergame training program improved their executive function
changes in cognitive activity predicted cognitive outcomes as long as two decades later
when older adults continued to increase their engagement in cognitive and physical activities, they were better able to maintain their cognitive functioning in late adulthood
nutritional supplements, brain games, and software products have unrealistic claims
most research has not provided consistent plausible evidence that dietary supplements can accomplish major cognitive goals in aging adults over a number of years
some software-based cognitive training games have been found to improve older adults’ cognitive functioning, but the gains typically occur only for the specific cognitive task assessed
effectiveness of brain games is often exaggerated
little evidence that playing brain games in late adulthood improves underlying broad cognitive abilities or that the games help older adults to function more competently in everyday life
Cognitive Neuroscience and Aging
explores the links between brain activity and cognitive functioning
changes in the brain can influence cognitive functioning, and changes in cognitive functioning can influence the brain
aging of the brain’s prefrontal cortex may produce a decline in working memory
cognitive interventions that activate older adults’ working memory may increase these neural connections
older adults are more likely than younger adults to use both hemispheres of the brain to compensate for declines in attention, memory, executive function, and language that occur with age
functioning of the hippocampus declines to a lesser degree than the functioning of the frontal lobe
patterns of neural decline with aging are more dramatic for retrieval than for encoding
cortical thickness in the frontoparietal network products executive function in older adults
younger adults have better connectivity between brain regions than older adults do
Language Development
in late adulthood, some decrements in language skills may appear
difficulty in retrieving words to use in conversation and problems understanding spoken language in certain contexts
in less than ideal listening conditions older adults can have difficulty understanding speech
may be due to hearing loss as well as cognitive impairment
most language skills decline little among older adults if they’re healthy
older adults’ speech is typically lower in volume, slower, less precisely articulated, and less fluent
conflicting info about changes in discourse
non language factors may be responsible for some of the declines in language skills that do occur in older adults
slower information processing speed
decline in working memory
language skills decline among individuals with alzheimers
difficulties in finding and generating words are one of the earliest symptoms of alzheimers
difficulty on tests of semantic verbal fluency
make more grammatical errors
less likely to use synaptic components
bilingualism may delay the onset of alzheimers
Work and Retirement
Work
older workers who continued working beyond retirement age were motivated by factors involving financial status, health, knowledge, and purpose in life
lower-income older adults are more likely to work in more physically demanding jobs, making it more difficult for them to continue working when they get old
us workers are reasonably satisfied with their jobs
older us workers are the most satisfied of all age groups
significant individuals in worker satisfaction
older workers take fewer sick days and demonstrate stronger problem-solving sets
cognitive ability is one of the best predictors of job performance in older adults
changes in federal law now allow individuals over 65 to continue working
working in an occupation with a high level of mental demands is linked to higher levels of cognitive functioning before retirement and a slower rate of cognitive decline after retirement
a cognitively stimulating work context promotes successful aging
older adults who work have better physical and cognitive profiles than those who retire
physical functioning declined faster in retirement than in full-time work for individuals 65+
retirement increased the risk of having a heart attack in older adults
individuals who retired for health reasons had lower verbal memory and verbal fluency than their counterparts who retired voluntarily or for family reasons
Retirement in the United States and in Other Countries
Retirement in the United States
on average, today’s workers will spend 10 to 15 percent of their lives in retirement
the average number of years spent in retirement is 18 yrs
37% of americans retire earlier than they planned
about 7 million retired americans return to work after they retired about 4 yrs after retirement
jobs pay less than pre-retirement jobs
about ⅔ are happy to do so
⅓ needed to go back to work to meet financial needs
Work and Retirement in Other Countries
France has the earliest average retirement age
Korea had the oldest average retirement age
a substantial percentage of individuals expect to continue working as long as possible before retiring
Japanese retirees missed the work slightly more than expected and the money considerably less than expected
US retirees missed the work and the money slightly less than expected
workplace organizational pressures, financial security, and poor physical and mental health were antecedents of early retirement
an increasing number of adults are beginning to reject the early retirement option as they hear about people who retired and then regretted it
Adjustment to Retirement
older adults who adjust best to retirement are healthy, have adequate income, are active, are better educated, have an extended social network, and usually were satisfied with their lives before they retired
the US retirement system is in transition
main worries of individuals approaching retirement
having to draw retirement income from savings
paying for health care expenses
flexibility is a key factor
cultivating interests and friends unrelated to work improves adaptation to retirement
planning ahead and then successfully carrying out the plan are important aspects of adjusting well in retirement
Mental Health
Depression
major depression: mood disorder in which the individual is deeply unhappy, demoralized, self-derogatory, and bored
symptoms: doesn’t feel well, loses stamina easily, has a poor appetite, is listlessness and unmotivated
not more common in older adults than in younger adults
not more often caused by psychological factors in older adults
compared with middle-aged adults, depression in older adults is more likely to be chronic
lower frequency of depressive symptoms in older adults compared with middle-aged adults was linked to
fewer economic hardships
fewer negative social interchanges
increased religiosity
for most of late adulthood, women have higher rates of depression and more severe depression than males
lower incomes
having one or more chronic illnesses
most common predictors of depression in older adults
earlier depressive symptoms
poor health
disability
losses of loved ones
social isolation
insomnia
curtailment of daily activities
increase in self-critical thinking
depression is a treatable condition
depressed older adults are less likely to receive treatment for their depression than younger adults are
80% of older adults with depressive symptoms receive no treatment
antidepressants are less effective with older adults
ect is more effective for older adults
exercise can reduce depression
engagement in valued activities and religious / spiritual involvement
major depression can result in suicidal tendencies
the older adult most likley to commit suicide is a male who lives alone, has lost his spouse, and is experiencing failing health
triggers for suicidal ideation
physical discomfort
loss of respect or support from family
impulsive emotions due to conflicts with others
painful memories
feelings of loneliness
sense of helplessness
low self-worth
declines in socioeconomic status
linked to lower levels of suicidal ideation
support from family and friends
emotional control
comfort from religion
Dementia, Alzheimer Disease, and Other Afflictions
Dementia
neurological disorders involving an irreversible decline in mental function severe enough to interfere with daily life
alzheimers are the most common type
second most frequent: vascular dementia
medium to high levels of physical activity were linked with lower rates of dementia
Alzheimer Disease
progressive, irreversible brain disorder
characterized by a gradual deterioration of memory, reasoning, language, and physical function
sixth leading cause of death in the us
⅔ of those with alzheimer's in the us are women
percentage of individuals with alzheimer's increases dramatically with age
Causes
deficiency in the brain messenger chemical acetylcholine, which plays an important role in memory
as alzheimer's progresses, the brain shrinks and deteriorates
formation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles
amyloid plaques: dense deposits of protein that accumulate in the blood vessels
neurofibrillary tangles: twisted fibers that build up in neurons. mainly consist of a protein called tau
increasing interest in the role that oxidative stress and mitochondria might play
oxidative stress occurs when the body’s antioxidant defenses don’t cope with free radical attacks and oxidation in the body
mitochondrial dysfunction is an early event in alzheimer’s
age is an important risk factor
genes may also play an important role
Early Detection
mild cognitive impairment: risk factor for alzheimer’s
distinguishing between individuals who merely have age-associated declines in memory and those with mci is difficult
individuals with mci who developed alzheimer’s had at least one copy of the ApoE4 gene
Drug Treatment of Alzheimer Disease
five approved drugs
cholinesterase inhibitors designed to improve memory and other cognitive functions by increasing levels of acetylcholine in the brain
do not reduce progression to dementia from mild cognitive impairment
regulates the activity of glutamate, which is involved in processing info
improve cognition and overall mental ability
current drugs used to treat alzheimer’s only slow the downward progression of the disease, but don’t address its cause
Caring for Individuals with Alzheimer Disease
family can be an important support system
family members can become emotionally and physically drained
family caregivers’ health-related quality of life in the first three years after they began caring for a family member with alzheimer’s deteriorated more than their same age and gender counterparts who were not caring for an alzheimer patient
respite care: services that provide temporary relief for those who are caring for individuals with disabilities, individuals with illnesses, or the elderly
provides an important break from the burden of providing chronic care
Parkinson Disease
chronic, progresssive disease characterized by muscle tremors, slowing of movement, and partial facial paralysis
triggered by degeneration of dopamine-producing neurons in the brain
main treatment: administering drugs that enhance the effect of dopamine in the disease’s earlier stages and later administering the drug l-dopa, which is converted by the brain into dopamine
treatment for advanced parkinson’s: deep brain stimulation. involves implantation of electrodes within the brain
Religion and Spirituality
religious service attendance was stable in middle adulthood, increased in late adulthood, then declined later in the older adult years
individuals with a stronger spiritual / religious orientation were more likely to live longer
secure attachment to God was linked to increased optimism and self-esteem
religious service attendance was associated with a higher level of resilience in life and lower levels of depression
religion can help older adults
face impending death
find and maintain a sense of meaning in life
accept the inevitable losses of old age
religion can provide older adults with
social activities
social support
opportunity to assume teaching and leadership roles