psych chapter 17
survival curve
a curve on a graph showing the percentage of people or animals alive at various ages
reserve capacity
ability of body organs and systems to put forth 4 to 10 times as much effort as usual acute stress; also called organ reserve
secondary aging
aging processes that result from disease and bodily abuse and disease and are often preventable
geriatrics
branch of medicine concerned with processes of aging and medical conditions and medical conditions associated with old age
cataracts
cloudy or opaque areas in the lens of the eye, which cause blurred vision
age related muscular degeneration
condition in which the center of the retina gradually loses its ability to discern fine details; leading cause of irreversible visual impairment n older adults
dementia
deterioration in cognitive and behavioral functioning due to physiological causes
activities of daily living (ADLs)
essential activities that support survival, such as eating, dressing, bathing, and getting around the house
hayflick limit
genetically controlled limit, proposed by Hayflick, on the number of times cells can divide in members of a species
primary aging
gradual, inevitable process of bodily deterioration throughout the life span
cognitive research
hypothesized fund of energy that may enable a deteriorating brain to continue to function normally
sensory memory
initial, brief, temporary storage of sensory information
Wechsler adult intelligence scale
intelligence test for adults that yields verbal and performance scores as well as a combined score
glaucoma
irreversible damage to the optic nerve caused by increased pressure in the eye
longevity
length of an individuals life
semantic memory
long-term memory of general factual knowledge, social customs, and language
procedural memory
long-term memory of motor skills, habits, and ways of doing things, which can be recalled without conscious effort; sometimes called implicit memory
episodic memory
long-term memory of specific experiences or events, linked to time and place
functional age
measure of a persons ability to function effectively in his or her physical and social environment in comparison with others of the same chronological age
senescence
period of the life span marked by declines in physical functioning usually associated with aging; begins at different ages for different people
Parkinson's disease
progressive, irreversible degenerative neurological disorder, characterized by tremor, stiffness, slowed movement, and unstable posture
Alzheimer's disease
progressive, irreversible, degenerative brain disorder characterized by cognitive deterioration and loss
working memory
short-term memory of specific experiences or events, linked to time and place
gerontology
study of the aged and the process of aging
autoimmunity
tendency of an aging body to mistake its own tissues for foreign invaders and to attack and destroy them
life span
the longest period that members of a species can live
genetic-programming theories
theories tat explain biological aging as a resulting from a genetically determined developmental timetable
variable- rate theories
theories that explain biological aging as a result of processes that involve damage to biological systems that vary from person to person
neurofibrillary tangles
twisted masses of protein fiber found in brains of persons with alzheimers disease
free radicals
unstable, highly reactive atoms or molecules, formed during metabolism, that can cause internal bodily damage
amyloid plaque
waxy chunks of insoluble tissue found in brains of persons with Alzheimer's disease
