Cognitive Development and Exams

Schedule Overview

  • End of Semester
      - November marks the approaching end of the semester associated with course modules and exams.

  • Upcoming Modules
      - Module 10: Social and Emotional Development
        - Completion Date: Friday.
      - Module 11: Death and Dying
        - Coverage Duration: Two class periods (Monday & Wednesday next week).
        - Shorter chapter, less extensive than previous modules.

  • Review Sessions
      - Exam Review: Scheduled for Friday before Exam 2.
        - Activity: Playing Kahoot for interactive review.
        - Limit: Up to 50 participants may need to pair up.
        - Prizes: Top two players can choose extra credit questions for Exam 2.

  • Exam 2 Details
      - Date: Monday, April 20.
      - Question Structure:
        - Total: 42 questions (40 graded, 2 extra credit).
        - Breakdown: 7 questions from each of the first five modules (1-5).
        - Additional content from Modules 6-11, plus 5 questions from Module 11.
      - Requirements for Exam Day:
        - Bring VGSU ID.
        - Fill out scantron with name and VGSU ID, including letter bubbles before submission.

  • Final Exam Review
      - The following week post-Exam 2 will focus primarily on review for the final exam.
      - Plans to revisit Exam 1 topics based on performance during review sessions.

  • Final Exam
      - Date: Monday, April 27, at 8 AM.
      - Structure: 60 multiple choice questions:
        - 30 from Exam 1 content and 30 from Exam 2 content.
      - Procedure: Students must leave upon completion but need to arrive on time.

Extra Credit Opportunities

  • Bonus Opportunities:
      - Exam 2 will include extra credit options similar to Exam 1.
      - Dates for submission around April 15 for out-of-class events.
      - Limit of one event per student for extra credit consideration.

  • No additional events before final exam unless previously completed out-of-class event, which will count towards final exam credit.

Cognitive Development in Late Adulthood

  • Recap Topics:
      - Overview of cognitive development since previous discussions in middle adulthood.
      - Areas of focus will include decline and maintenance of cognitive functions due to aging:
        - Dementia: Discussion on mild cognitive impairment and cognitive reserve.
        - Wisdom and Language: Examining influences on cognitive growth in old age.

Ages and Cognitive Changes

  • Crystallized vs. Fluid Intelligence:
      - Definitions and Distinctions:
        - Fluid Intelligence:
          - Refers to problem-solving and processing speed. It tends to decline with age, affecting working memory and attention.
        - Crystallized Intelligence:
          - Involves amassed knowledge and ability to solve practical issues; maintains or increases over time.
      - Implications: Older adults often excel in knowledge-based tasks (e.g., trivia) but may struggle with rapid processing or abstract tasks.

  • Cognitive Function Changes with Age:
      - Sensory Registers: Decline leads to a reduced ability to process incoming information effectively due to sensory decline (vision/hearing).
      - Working Memory: Reduced capacity to remember multiple information pieces simultaneously.
      - Source Memory: Deteriorates with aging, impacting the recall of where or how certain knowledge was acquired.
      - Inhibitory Control: Diminishes ability to suppress irrelevant stimuli response, exemplified by tasks that require inhibition (e.g., color naming).
      - Autobiographical Memory: Typically well-preserved; individuals can recall life events despite other cognitive impairments.

Dementia Overview

  • Understanding Dementia:
      - Normal aging can lead to cognitive declines, but dementia (secondary aging) is distinct and severe enough to impair functioning.
      - Common Forms:
        - Alzheimer's Disease:
          - Characterized as a progressive disorder with physical brain changes (plaques and tangles).
          - Symptoms: Memory loss, confusion, mood swings, and behavioral changes related to caregiving complexity.
          - Prevalence: About 10% of individuals aged 65+, increasing to 32% by age 85+.
        - Parkinson’s Disease:
          - Affects motor control and cognitive function, progressively worsening as age progresses.
          - Sympathetic symptoms include tremors and difficulties in movement.
      - Cognitive Dysfunction: Challenges in abilities once easily performed.

Alzheimer’s Disease Specifics

  • Plaques and Tangles:
      - Plaques: Clumps formed from beta-amyloid proteins obstructing cell communication and possibly leading to immune reactions that damage nerve cells.
      - Neurofibrillary Tangles: Result from tau protein abnormalities inhibiting nutrient transport between cells, contributing to cell death.

  • Symptoms and Progression: Start with short-term memory loss before impacting long-term memory; additional cognitive degradation signifies the disease's progression.

  • Impact on Daily Living: Variances in required levels of care based on disease stage; higher complexity demands frequent monitoring and assistance.

  • Statistics: Every four seconds, someone receives an Alzheimer’s diagnosis; a critical public health concern affecting over 40 million globally.