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15.6: Key Terms

  • Page ID
    233699
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    \(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)
    acute condition
    health condition that tends to occur quickly and lasts only a brief period of time
    age-related macular degeneration
    blurring and potential loss of vision in the center of the field of vision as a result of damage to the central part of the retina (macula)
    Alzheimer’s disease
    most common form of dementia; progressive, fatal, and characterized by the presence of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain and affecting memory before limiting other cognitive abilities and eventually motor skills
    autobiographical memory
    memories related to personal life and history, with both episodic and semantic components
    cataract
    cloudy area on the typically clear lens of the eye caused by a buildup of protein
    cellular clock theory
    theory that cells can divide to reproduce themselves only a limited number of times, and as they reach this number, the body is no longer able to replace old or damaged cells with new ones
    chronic condition
    health condition that may develop slowly over time and last for a long duration
    cognitive reserve
    characteristics that are protective against dementia by delaying onset and reducing symptoms
    compression of morbidity
    idea that a healthy lifestyle can extend life expectancy while also decreasing the time we spend in poor health or a highly dependent state
    dementia
    wide variety of conditions characterized by damage to the brain, including cell death that interferes with daily functioning and ability to live independently
    dry eye syndrome
    eye condition that occurs when eyes don’t produce enough tears
    free radical theory
    theory that free radicals, unstable oxygen molecules that are a by-product of food metabolization, damage tissues or cells, and this damage accumulates as people get older
    geropsychology
    subfield of psychology that focuses on enhancing the mental health of older adults
    glaucoma
    vision impairment caused by increased pressure inside the eye and resulting damage to the optic nerve
    hemorrhagic stroke
    event in which a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, resulting in bleeding that deprives an area of the brain of sufficient blood flow and oxygen that can be fatal
    hormonal stress theory of aging (also, neuroendocrine theory)
    theory that as we age, stress hormones stay elevated longer after a stressful response, potentially contributing to aging-associated health problems like hypertension and diabetes
    hypoxia
    condition in which lack of oxygen in body tissue causes damage
    ischemic stroke
    event in which a blood clot prevents an area of the brain from receiving enough blood or oxygen
    macula
    central part of the retina in the eye
    Medicaid
    U.S. federal program that pays for some health-care costs of individuals with low income
    Medicare
    U.S. federal program that pays for some health-care costs of older adults
    mild cognitive impairment (MCI)
    cognitive decline that is more severe than normative but below the threshold for a dementia-related diagnosis
    osteoporosis
    condition characterized by extensive loss of bone mass and weakening of the bones in later life
    positivity effect
    tendency to remember things from our past more positively as we get older
    presbycusis
    age-related hearing decline that starts with the inability to hear high-pitch frequencies
    presbyopia
    age-related decline in vision due to stiffening of the lens that results in more difficulty seeing things that are close
    primary aging
    natural healthy aging process that has not been accelerated or worsened as a result of disease
    sarcopenia
    loss of muscle mass that occurs in later life
    secondary aging
    aging that has been accelerated and worsened by disease processes, lifestyle choices, or environmental factors
    sundowning
    tendency for dementia symptoms to worsen in the evening
    telomere
    protective strand of DNA on the tip of each chromosome that becomes shorter each time a cell divides until the cell is no longer able to divide any more
    terminal decline
    accelerated and nonnormative declines in cognitive ability that can occur one to five years before death
    tertiary aging
    more rapid and general declines that may occur in the months and years prior to death
    universal health care
    system that makes health-care services accessible to all citizens with little or no out-of-pocket costs, because the government subsidizes the cost through taxes
    vertigo
    condition that causes dizziness or the sensation of moving when still
    wear and tear theory
    theory that the use of our bodies results in unrepaired damage that accumulates over time, resulting in aging
    wisdom
    ability to use intellect and past experiences to make good decisions about the future

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