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