PSY 213 1st Edition Lecture 27 Outline of Last Lecture I Personality Theories and Development II Stability and Change III Close Relationships IV Longevity Biological Aging and Physical Development Outline of Current Lecture I Longevity Biological Aging and Physical Development II Cognitive Functioning III Mental Health IV Theories of Socioemotional Development V Altruism and Volunteerism VI Ethnicity VII Gender VIII Successful Aging Current Lecture I Longevity Biological Aging and Physical Development The aging brain a The shrinking slowing brain begins in your 20 and ends in 90 s b Brain loses 5 to 10 of its weight between the ages of 20 and 90 years c Volume decreases due to These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor s lecture GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes not as a substitute i Shrinkage of neurons ii Lower numbers of synapses iii Reduced length of axon d Slowing of function in the brain and spinal cord begins in middle adulthood and accelerates in late adulthood i Affecting physical coordination and intellectual performance ii Aging Linked to a reduction in the production of certain neurotransmitters The adapting brain e Neurogenesis Generation of new neurons If you maintain activity cognitively challenging brain still capable of growth f Dendritic growth g Decrease in lateralization i Improve cognitive functioning ii Both sides of the brain starts to share functions iii Brain working more efficiently iv Brain continues to be plastic II Cognitive Functioning Use it or lose it a Certain mental activities can benefit the maintenance of cognitive skills i Reading books doing crossword puzzles going to lectures and concerts b Research suggests that i Mental exercise may reduce cognitive decline III Mental Health Dementia Involve a deterioration of mental functioning a 23 percent of women and 17 percent of men 85 years and older are at risk for developing dementia b Women are more likely to get dementia because they live longer c There are a number or imitation disorders that look like Alzheimer i Depression confusion fuzzing memory change in behavior ii When you mix some medications it can lead to Alzheimer disease Gradual deterioration of memory reasoning language and eventually physical function d Women are likely to develop Alzheimer disease because they live longer than men e Alzheimer involves a deficiency in the brain messenger chemical acetylcholine f Formation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles g Prevent by improvement of cardiac functioning through diet medication and exercise i High fat diets and lack of exercise are contributing factors to Alzheimer s Drug treatment of Alzheimer disease h Cholinerase inhibitors and other drugs slow the downward progression of the disease Caring for individuals with Alzheimer disease i Support is often emotionally and physically draining for the family j Respite care services IV Theories of Socioemotional Development Erikson s theory a Integrity vs despair Involves reflecting on the past and either piecing together a positive review or concluding that one s life has not been well spent i Life review Looking back at one s life experiences evaluating them and interpreting reinterpreting them Thinking through what your life has been like A sign of coming to terms to important events in life healthy Selective optimization with compensation theory Successful aging is linked with three main factors b Selection Older adults have a reduced capacity and loss of functioning which require a reduction in performance in most life domains c Optimization It is possible to maintain performance in some areas through continued practice and the use of new technologies d Compensation Older adults need to compensate when life tasks require a higher level of capacity V Altruism and Volunteerism Older adults who had persistently low or declining feelings of usefulness to others had an increased risk of earlier death Volunteering is associated with a number of positive outcomes a Constructive activities b Productive roles c Social integration d Enhanced meaningfulness VI Ethnicity Elderly ethnic minority individuals face both ageism and racism Despite stress and discrimination many ethnic minority individuals have developed coping mechanisms that allow them to survive VII Gender Some developmentalists believe that there is decreasing femininity in women and decreasing masculinity in men during late adulthood a Older men often become more feminine but women do not necessarily become more masculine i Feminine as in being more caring Older adult females face ageism and sexism VIII Successful Aging Many abilities can be maintained and or improved in older adults due to a Proper diet b Active lifestyle c Mental stimulation and flexibility d Positive coping skills e Good social relationships and support f Absence of disease