Gerontology Vocabulary From Book

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interindividual differences (p.6)

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principle that people become more different from each other with age.

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intraindividual difference
(a.k.a multidirectionality of development)

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differences within individuals in developmental processes

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normal aging

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changes built into the hard wiring of the organism that occur more or less in all individuals (although different rates) and are distinct from those changes associated with disease

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impaired aging

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processes that result from diseases that do not occur in all individuals

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optimal aging (a.k.a successful aging)

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avoidance of changes that would otherwise occur with age through preventative and compensatory strategies

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primary aging

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age-related changes that are universal, intrinsic, and progressive

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secondary aging

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changes that are due to disease

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normative age-graded influences

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the influences on life that are linked to chronological age and associated with a society's expectations for people of a given range

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normative history-graded infliences

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influences that transcend the individual's life and are associated with changes in a given culture or geographical unit as a whole

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nonnormative influences

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random, chance factors that occur due to a combination of coincidence, the impact of earlier decisions on later events, and relationships with other people

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baby boom generation

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born between 1945 and 1964

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life span perspective

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the understanding of development as continuous from childhood through old age

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contextual influences on development

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the effects of social processes on changes within the individual

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developmental science

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term replacing "developmental psychology" to reflect the need to take a broad, interdisciplinary apporach to understanding patterns of change in life

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niche-picking

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notion that a child's genetically based abilities lead that child to select certain activities which further enhance the development of those abilities

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organismic model

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view in which "nature" or genetics is regarded as the prime mover in development

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mechanistic model

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view in which "nurture" or the environment is regarded as the prime mover in development

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interactionist model

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view that genetics and environments interact in complex ways and that the individual actively participants in his or her development through reciprocal relations with the environment

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reciprocal nature of development

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recognition that people both influence and are influenced by events in their live

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ecological perspective

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multiple levels of the environment that interact with individual processes of change

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proximal social relational level

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level of interaction in the ecological perspective involving the individual's relationships with significant others, peers, and nuclear famalies

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scociocultural level

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level of interaction in the ecological perspective involving relations with the larger social institutions of educational, public policy, governmental and economic systems

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life course perspective

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emphasizes on the importance of age-based norms, roles, and attitudes as influences that shape events throughout development

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identity achievement versus identity diffusion

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stage in Erikson's psychosocial development theory in which the individual attempts to establish a sense of self

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intimacy Vs. isolation

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stage in Erickson's psychosocial development theory in which the individual attempts to establish an intimate relationships with adult

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generativity vs. stagnation

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stage in Erikson's psychosocial development theory in which the individual focuses on the issues of procreation, productivity, and creativity

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ego integrity vs. despair

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stage in erikson's psychosocial development theory in which the individual attempts to establish a sense of acceptance and integration

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dependent variable

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variable on which people are observed to differ

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independent variable

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the variable that explains or causes the range of scores in the dependent variable

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quasi-experimental design

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research method in which groups are compared on predetermined characteristics

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sequential design

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considerable progress in some areas of research, designs consist of different combinations of variable age, cohort, and time measurement

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most efficient design

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3 designs manipulating the variables age, cohort, and time of measurement

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multiple regression analysis

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multivariate correlational research design in which a set of variables are used to predict scores on another variable

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logistic regression

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method in which researchers test the likelihood of an individual receiving a score on a discrete yes-no variable

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multivariate correlational design

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research design that involves the analysis of relationships among multiple variables

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androgenetic alopecia

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male and female pattern hair loss

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anorexia of aging

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condition involving inadequete energy intake

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sarcopenia

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muscle mass loss

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high density lipoproteins (HDLs)

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plasma lipid transport mechanism responsible for carrying lipids from the peripheral tissues to the liver where they are excerted or synthesized into blue acids

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neuronal fallout model

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view of aging nervous system as involving progressive loss of brain tissue across the adult years noticeable by age 30

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plasticity model

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view of the aging nervous system which proposes that although some neurons die, the remaining ones continue to develop

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white matter hyperintensities

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abnormalities in the brain thought to be made up of parts of deteriorating neurons

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dysthermia

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combinations of both hyper and hypo thermia

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cataract

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clouding that develops in the lens

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atherosclerosis

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cardiovascular disease in which fat and other substances accumulate within the arteries at an abnormally high rate and substantially reduce the width of the arteries

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arteriosclerosis

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a general term for the thickening and hardening of arteries

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atherogenesis

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process that stimulates and accelerates atherisclerosis

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amyloid plaques

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collection of dead and dying neurons surrounding a central core amyloid

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amyloid cascade hypothesis

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proposal that the formation of amyloid plaques causes the death of neurons in alzheimer's disease

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amyloid

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generic name for protein fragments that collect together in a specific way to form insoluble deposits

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amyloid precursor protein (APP)

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protein manufactured by neurons that plays a role in their growth and communication with each other, and perhaps contributes to the repair of injured brain cells

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secretases

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enzymes that strip proteins such amyloid precursor protein

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caspase

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enzyme that destroys neurons

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apoptosis

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process of cell death

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neurofibrillary tangles

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tangled fibers within neurons

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tau

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protein that seems to play a role in maintaining the stability of the microtubules which form the internal support structure of the axons

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vascular demetia

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progressive loss of cognitive functioning occurs as the result of damge to the arteries supplying the brain

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multi-infarct dementia or MID

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transient ischemic attacks

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frontotemporal demetia

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reflected in personality changes such as apathy, lack of inhibition, obsessiveness, and loss of judgement

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lewy bodies

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tiny spherical structures consisting of deposits of protein found in dying nerve cells in damaged regions deep within the brains of people with Parkinson's disease

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pick's disease

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rare cause of dementia: involves severe atrophy of the frontal and temporal lobes

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reversible demetia

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due to medical condition that affects, but doesnt destroy brain tissue

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normal pressure hydrocephalus

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neurologic disorder: rare: cause cognitive impairmen, demetia, urinary incompetence, and difficulty walking

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subdural haematoma

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blood clot that creates pressure on brain tissue

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delirium

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cognitive disorder that is temporary, but acute confusion that can be caused by diseases of the heart, lung, infections, malnutrition

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polypharmacy

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takes multiple drugs, sometimes without the knowledge of a physcian

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Wernicke's disease

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acute condition: chronic alcohol abuse involving delirium, eye movement disturbances, difficulties maintaining balance and movement, and deterioation of the nerves to the hands and feet

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Korsakoff syndrome

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form of dementia that occurs when there is a deficinecy of vitamin B1(thiamine)

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pseudodementia

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cognitive symptoms of depression that appear to be dementia