This document discusses several topics related to aging and cognition. It describes how cognition can decline in older age due to terminal decline near death or secondary aging caused by diseases like dementia, hypertension, and diabetes. Lifestyle habits can contribute to these diseases but changes to diet and exercise may help slow brain deterioration. The document also discusses ageism in research, different types of dementia like Alzheimer's, risk factors for Alzheimer's, and stages of Alzheimer's progression. Finally, it notes that some types of dementia are reversible and that older adults can still develop new cognitive abilities and gain wisdom later in life.

1. The MoreYou Know…
Information on Aging (Life Course)

2. Terminal Decline
 An overall slowdown of cognitive abilities in the days or
months before death, marked by a loss of intellectual power

3. Secondary Aging
Several diseases impair cognition among the aging…

4. Secondary Aging
Diseases:
• Dementia
• Hypertension
• Diabetes
• Arteriosclerosis
• Diseases affecting the lungs

5. Lifestyle Habits
• Lifestyle habits contribute to these diseases
• Brain deterioration can be halted with changes to diet and lifestyle / exercise

6. Attitudes of the Aging
We are influenced by our expectations and stereotyping; older adults
overestimate earlier memory skills and may become less confident

7. Ageism
 Ageism in Research
 Lab research favors young
adults
 Experiments often biased
toward those being tested
(e.g., students)
 Older adults out of
practice
 May be suspicious of
exams
 Beyond Ageism
 Older adults compensate
for memory loss by using
reminders
 Realistic circumstances
and supportive
environments and
memory

8. Dementia vs. Alzheimer’s
Dementia
 Irreversible loss of intellectual
functioning caused by organic
brain disease
 Symptoms include confusion
and forgetfulness
 Difficult to diagnose and can
be caused by more than 70
diseases
Alzheimer’s Disease
 A disorder characterized by a
proliferation of plaques and
tangles, which are
abnormalities in the cerebral
cortex that destroy brain
functioning

9. Risk factors for Alzheimer’s
 Gender, ethnicity and age
 Women are at greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s
 Non-Asian people are at greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s
 Age is the chief factor;
 Incidence rate rises from about 1/100 at the age of 65 to 1/5 when
over the age of 85
 Alzheimer’s is partly genetic;
 If an individual has ALZHS, variant of the ApoE gene (allele 4), the
individual is at increased risk
 Risk decreasing factors: the alleleApoE2, which dissipates the
protein that causes plaques, and lifestyle habits, specifically
physical exercise and mental activity

10. Stages: From Confusion to Death
 Stage 1: General forgetfulness
 Stage 2: General confusion – noticeable differences in
concentration and short-term memory
 Stage 3: Dangerous memory loss; no longer able to take care of
basic needs
 Stage 4: Need for full-time care; can include irrational anger and
paranoia
 Stage 5: Last stage – completely mute, unable to respond w/ any
action or emotion
 Death usually occurs 10-15 years after the onset of Stage 1

11. Many Strokes
• Vascular dementia or multi infarct
dementia
• A sporadic progressive loss of
intellectual functioning
• Due to temporary insufficient
supply of blood to the brain
• Commonly called a stroke or a mini
stroke
• A common cause is arteriosclerosis

12. Subcortical Dementias
• Begin with motor ability
impairments and later produce
cognitive impairments (e.g.,
Parkinson’s disease)
• Other causes of dementia: include
Huntington’s disease, multiple
sclerosis (MS), toxins and infectious
agents, syphilis, AIDS and
psychoactive drug use

13. Reversible Dementia
• Most commonly caused by overmedication or undernourishment
• Drug management can be difficult for older adults
• Vitamin deficiencies can cause depression, confusion and cognitive decline

14. Psychological Illness
Certain psychological illnesses are less common among aging; mental illness
can produce what seems like dementia but is not

15. New Cognitive Development
in Later Life
Older adults can develop new interests and patterns of thought as well as a
deeper wisdom

16. Life Review andWisdom
Life Review
 An examination of one’s one
past life, this process is more
social than solitary, and
others’ recognition of its
significance is crucial to one’s
self-worth
Wisdom
 Older people are often seen as
wiser
 Wisdom is defined as broad,
practical, comprehensive approach
to life’s problems, reflecting
timeless truths, w/ an expertise in
life’s fundamentals, permitting
exceptional insight and judgment
in complex and uncertain matters
 Research finds little correlation
between wisdom and age but
certain attributes, such as altruism,
may increase with age

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Also, if you’d like to stay abreast on aging information like this, then please
visit LAAAC’s website at laaacoalition.org