Normal ageing

Question 1

What are two common sensory processing declines in normal ageing?

Answer 1

Hearing and vision loss.

Question 2

What cognitive ability related to new information often declines with age?

Answer 2

New learning / Episodic memory, particularly encoding and retrieval

Question 3

How does processing speed typically change in normal ageing?

Answer 3

It slows down, leading to slower reaction times and mental processing

Question 4

What executive functions are often reduced in older adults?

Answer 4

Ability to plan, inhibit responses, and multitask

Question 5

What aspects of attention are particularly affected by age?

Answer 5

Divided attention and inhibitory control

Question 6

Name three cognitive abilities that are often preserved in normal ageing

Answer 6

Semantic memory, language (vocabulary), and procedural memory

Question 7

What is the main idea of the Processing Speed Theory of cognitive ageing?

Answer 7

Ageing causes a general slowing of mental processing

Question 8

What is a criticism of the Processing Speed Theory?

Answer 8

It doesn’t explain why processing speed slows or variations across cognitive domains

Question 9

According to the Inhibitory Deficit Theory, what do older adults struggle to do?

Answer 9

Inhibit irrelevant information, leading to working memory overload

Question 10

What cognitive difficulties does the Inhibitory Deficit Theory explain?

Answer 10

Difficulty with selective attention and task switching

Question 11

What is a limitation of the Inhibitory Deficit Theory?

Answer 11

It doesn’t fully explain episodic memory impairments

Question 12

What is the core idea of the Associative Deficit Hypothesis?

Answer 12

Older adults are less able to form and retrieve links between items

Question 13

What type of learning tasks supports the Associative Deficit Hypothesis?

Answer 13

Paired-associate learning tasks

Question 14

What brain region is disproportionately affected in the Frontal Ageing Hypothesis?

Answer 14

The frontal lobes

Question 15

What type of cognitive decline is linked to the Frontal Ageing Hypothesis?

Answer 15

Executive dysfunction

Question 16

What is a criticism of the Frontal Ageing Hypothesis?

Answer 16

Some older adults maintain executive function, so it doesn’t apply universally

Question 17

What is the central idea of Attentional Resource / Limited Capacity Theories?

Answer 17

Older adults have fewer cognitive resources for effortful tasks

Question 18

What are two key neurobiological changes observed in ageing brains?

Answer 18

Frontal lobe shrinkage and neuron loss (especially in hippocampus and prefrontal cortex)

Question 19

What neurobiological change is linked to the Processing Speed Theory?

Answer 19

White matter degeneration, leading to slower signal transmission

Question 20

What does the HAROLD model suggest about brain activity in older adults?

Answer 20

Older adults show more bilateral brain activation

Question 21

Why is the heterogeneity of ageing important to consider?

Answer 21

Not all older adults decline equally; individual differences matter (e.g., education, health)

Question 22

What is a limitation of using lab-based cognitive tests to study ageing?

Answer 22

They may not reflect real-life function (ecological validity)

Question 23

Name two general interventions that may promote cognition in older adults.

Answer 23

Exercise and nutrition, sleep, social engagement

Question 24

What does the Cognitive Reserve Theory suggest can delay cognitive decline?

Answer 24

Lifelong learning, education, and enrichment

Question 25

How is normal ageing characterised?

Answer 25

Ageing in the absence of any neurological condition

Question 26

State and describe the three definitions of ageing

Answer 26

- Biological ageing is the physical degeneration. - Psychological ageing is the capacity of cognition. - Social ageing is the social roles and expectations

Question 27

What aspects of vision and hearing decline with age?

Answer 27

Vision: structural changes in eye/retina. Hearing: loss in sensitivity.

Question 28

What specific aspects of memory do people typically have trouble recalling?

Answer 28

Names, faces, appointments, phone numbers, location of personal items, etc.

Question 29

What is brain plasticity?

Answer 29

It's the brain's ability to change its structure and function. This allows for cognitive and behavioural change.

Question 30

How can we help stimulate brain plasticity as people age?

Answer 30

Through providing an "enriched environment", for example, exposure to novelty (new things), social engagement (being with others), and cognitive stimulation (challenging your brain)

Question 31

What old idea about the brain does plasticity challenge?

Answer 31

It challenges the outdated view that the ageing brain is fixed or cannot change

Question 32

Is brain plasticity in older adults always the same as in younger people?

Answer 32

No, it may be slower or less extensive in older adults.

Question 33

What brain regions' shrinkage (atrophy) is associated with problems remembering past events in normal aging?

Answer 33

Atrophy in the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex.

Question 34

What specific cognitive problem is linked to atrophy in the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex?

Answer 34

Deficits in episodic memory (memory for specific events).