Ageing and psychological disorders Flashcards
What are cognitive changes that occur with increasing age?
Many aspects of cognitive functioning remain relatively intact
Reduced control of complex attention as well as lapses in memory
Expression and understanding of language–Most robust in the face of the ageing process
Executive function may decline with age–Due to declines in information-processing capacity and/or frontal lobe function
Wisdom improves with age
What are Cohen’s 4 stages of Ageing?
Midlife re-evaluation (40s to the 60s): time of exploration and transition
Liberation stage: people feel comfortable within and are less afraid to make mistakes
Summing-up phase: time of recapitulation, resolution and review. –Need to find greater meaning in one’s life by looking back, summing up and giving back
Encore phase (80+): Desire to make a final statement or make additional contributions
What Social Changes occur with age?
Carstensen’s socioemotional selectivity theory:
Greater focus on meaningful relationships–Reduction in quantity but an increase in the quality of the social network
Perceived received social support predicts relationship satisfaction
–Importance of social networks to helping older adults cope with adversity
–Women give and receive more social support than men
What life events are associated with later life?
Retirement
Grandparenting: linked to both positive and negative outcomes
Cessation of driving due to cognitive decline or ill health
Bereavement is common
What is positive ageing?
low risk of disease, higher levels of physical and mental functioning, and an active engagement with life
What is Dementia?
Broad class of neurological disorders associated with cognitive, personality and behavioural changes in later life
- Major neurocognitive disorder: substantial level of cognitive decline from previous functioning
- Mild neurocognitive disorder: a level of cognitive decline that is more than expected in normal ageing but not yet at the level of a major neurocognitive disorder
Approx. 5.3–7.6 per cent among those 65 years and older
Expected to triple in Australia by 2050
What is Alzheimer’s Disease?
Onset typically at 65 years–Women are at higher risk
Characterised by abnormal brain changes:–Neurofibrillary tangles (twisted masses of filaments inside nerve cells) –Neuritic plaques (abnormal clumps of degenerating nerve cells)–Produced by a toxic molecule known as amyloid beta
Course characterised by increasing cognitive dysfunction:–Difficulties in remembering new information and in naming objects, people and places
•Memory impairment –Major feature
Must be accompanied by declines in one or more of the following areas:–Aphasia—a language disturbance–Apraxia—inability to carry out motor activities–Agnosia—failure to recognise objects–Disturbances in executive functioning—planning, organising
Delusions and hallucinations are common
- Changes in personality–E.g., apathy and / or agitation
- Behavioural problems–E.g., wandering
How is Vascular Dementia caused?
Most common causes are:–Multiple cortical infarcts (strokes)–A single infarct –Small vessel disease in the brain
•More sudden onset than Alzheimer’s disease
What is Frontotemporal dementia?
Prominent changes in personality and behaviour
What is Lewy body dementia?
Fluctuation in attention and alertness, complex visual hallucinations, and features of parkinsonism
How is Dementia treated and diagnosed?
Importance of early diagnosis –noticing early signs and then formal testing (tutorial)
- Psychological and behavioural interventions –more later •Lifestyle factors–E.g., increased physical and mental activity
- Vaccine to slow the progression of the illness?
- Ensuring optimal care of individuals with dementia in Indigenous communities remains a challenge
- Carers: have high levels of anxiety and depression–Coping strategies for carerscan be effective c
What is Late-life Depression?
Late-life depression: MDD after age 60
Significant cognitive dysfunction
Comorbid medical illnesses and higher rates of lethargy
Suicide is a serious concern
Treatment options: –Cognitive behaviour therapy, –Reminiscence therapy–Interpersonal therapy
What is late life Anxiety?
In later life, more common than depression
Cognitive and vegetative symptoms more common
Treatment: CBT
Tend not to seek treatment
What are formal assessments used by psychologists on Older Adults?
Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale—IV (WAIS-IV)
Wechsler Memory Scale –IV [WMS-IV (OA)]
Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS)
What are screening tools used by Psychologists for Older Adults?
Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE)
Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS)
Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA);
Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS)
