Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

Aging > Week 5 - Mental Health and Aging > Flashcards

Week 5 - Mental Health and Aging Flashcards

(76 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

Definition of Mental Disorders

A

Condition impairing psychological functioning through disorganized personality, emotions, or behaviour causing distress or disability.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

How were mental disorders historically viewed?

A

Different from physical diseases. blamed on fixed traits.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is the etiology of mental disorders?

A

No organic/physiological cause.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Historically, how was the treatment for mental disorders?

A

Ineffective

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Historically, how did society react to those with mental disorders?

A

Society would isolate them.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What role does ageism play in mental health perceptions?

A

More stigmatized, seen as expected or hopeless reinforcing stereotypes.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

How many people, as of January 1, 2025 had dementia in Canada?

A

About 772,000 people, with 61.8% being women.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

How many more cases of dementia were reported in January 1, 2025 compared to January 1, 2024.

A

40,000 more reports.
414 daily.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is the projected number people of people in Canada to be living with dementia?

A

999,600

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

How many Canadians have experience caring for someone with dementia?

A

1 in 5 Canadians.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

At what age can dementia begin?

A

As early as 40.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Are women or men more affected by dementia?

A

Women

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Why are women more affected by dementia?

A

Longer life expectancy and higher lifetime risk.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Do women or men have a larger incidence risk for dementia?

A

Both are the same.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is dementia?

A

General term for several diseases that affect memory, thinking, and the ability to perform daily activities.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Is dementia a natural process of aging?

A

No

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What is the most common type of dementia?

A

Alzheimer’s disease

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What are some early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease?

A

Memory deficits, confusion, irritability, aggression, mood swings and behavioral changes.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What causes Alzheimer’s disease?

A

Not yet known, but vascular issues and lifestyle factors are big contributors. 7 risk factors.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What are the 7 modifiable risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease?

A

(Highest risk to lowest)
1. Low education
2. Smoking
3. Inactivity
4. Depression
5. Hypertension
6. Diabetes
7. Obesity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What is the implication of modifiable risk factors?

A

Preventative measures could reduce up tp 50% of dementia cases.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Does well-being improve with age?

A

Yes! Learn to compensate and manage emotions better.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Is aging merely a negative experience?

A

No, aging can be positive, not ignoring the biological changes either.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Are depression rates higher or lower in old age?

A

Lower, an earlier diagnosis can create more awareness.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Are older adults with depression usually diagnosed?
No, symptoms of depression in older adults are often underrecognized, underreported, and undertreated.
26
What are two imporant points about mental health of older adults?
1. Improvement with age 2. Resilience
27
How did older adults handle mental health during Covid-19?
Were more resilient, smaller increases in mental issues.
28
Which concept measures disease burden on individuals/society?
Disability-adjusted life years (DALY)
29
Plasticity
The brain's ability to change structurally and functionally in response to learning and experience.
30
What is the mental reserve capacity?
The brain's ability to compensate for age-related changes and brain damage. Not fixed or determined by genes.
31
How can one enhance their mental reserve capacity?
Through education, social status and a stimulating lifestyle (exercise, social network, occupation).
32
Can the brain grow new cells later in life?
Yes, brain cell growth and reorganization continue later in life.
33
How do the brain's emotional centers change with age.
They become more balanced.
34
How does brain hemisphere use change with age?
Older adults tend to use both hemispheres more equally.
35
What is memory encoding?
Linking new information with already stored information.
36
What happens to memory encoding in old age?
Encoding new information slows, but old information recall remains stable. Use more context and clues to figure out memories.
37
WHy should context be considered in cognitive testing?
Older adults may perform better, in familiar supportive environments.
38
What happens to brain mass in later life?
Loss of brain mass observed in imaging.
39
Can cognitive training improve mental function in aging?
Yes.
40
What is the key to effective intervention in aging brains?
The right amount of challenge, not too hard not too easy.
41
What is Lawton's Ecological Model?
Older people are vulnerable to the ill effects of their environment, due to age-related limitation. Relationship between someone's capabilities and the demands of their environment.
42
What are some functional disorders in abnormal brain aging?
Paranoia, anxiety, neuroses, and schizophrenia.
43
What are some organic disorders in abnormal brain aging?
Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease.
44
How is abnormal behaviour judged in older adults?
Not accepted socially, due to expectations of wisdom and composure.
45
Stigma
Receiving a label, facing stereotyping and discrimination. Losing status and access to social and healthcare services.
46
How did media portray older adults during Covid-19?
As victims, reinforcing tragedy narrative.
47
What is the difference between competence and capacity?
Competency is a legal term, capacity is a clinical term that means a person's ability to function.
48
What happens when a older adult loses competence?
May lose the ability to understand their situation and consequences of their decisions.
49
Sensory Memory
A person perceiving information
50
Short-Term Memory
Person acting on this information
51
Long-Term Memory
Stores knowledge, also includes rules for organizing knowledge.
52
Non-Episodic Memory
Information with no time as to when it was acquired, like general knowledge. ex. sky blue??????
53
Episodic Memory
Memory acquired at a specific time and place.
54
How does aging affect fluid vs. crystallized intelligence?
Fluid intelligence declines with age, crystallized intelligence remains stable or improves.
55
Fluid Intelligence
Ability to process new information, learn and solve problems.
56
Crystallized Intelligence
Stored knowledge, accumulated over the years.
57
What does the constant-probability-of-success model propose?
Quality of output remains stable across a lifestyle even in total output decreases.
58
Neurogenesis
Creation of new neurons and neuronal connections.
59
Flexibility
The adaptation through reconfiguration of existing behaviours without changes in the brain's structure.
60
What are the four patterns of Psychological Aging?
1. Successful aging 2. Normal aging 3. Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) 4. Dementia
61
Successful Aging "the super-normals"
Small subgroup of older people, with socioeconomic or genetic advantage. Generally maintain high level of mental function shortly before death.
62
Normal Aging
Reach mental peak in early mid-life.Show dramatic decline before death.
63
Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)
Experience greater than normal mental decline in early old age. Some in this group eventually develop dementia.
64
Stereotype Threat
When an older person's fear of failure on a memory test leads to poor performance.
65
Contextual View of Memory
When conditions influence memory.
66
Semantic Memory
Facts and information we have stored in memory. ex. Knowledge about cars (or this dih😛)
67
Executive Function
Higher order thinking, decision making.
68
Cognitive Control
Complex thinking, making choices among items.
69
How does physical activity affect cognitive perfermance?
Greater physical activity is associated with a reduced risk in cognitive decline.
70
Developmental Intelligence
Growth of intelligence in later life.
71
What are the four components of wisdom?
1. Intellectual humility 2. Recognition of uncertainty and change 3. Other's perspective/broader contexts 4. Compromise
72
Intellectual Disability
Disorders that lead to limited mental capacity and problems with daily activities. Begins before age 18.
73
Developmental Disability
Effects of diseases such as Down syndrome. Usually begin at birth and affect a person's function in society.
74
What are some recommendations made by the Alzheimer Society of Canada as a response to the increase in dementia cases?
1. Increase investment in dementia research 2. Provide support for informal caregivers 3. Emphasize prevention and early intervention 4. Build integrated system of care 5. Strengthen dementia workforce
75
What are the three stages in Alzheimer's disease decline?
Stage 1: Changes in memory Stage 2: Memory decline, loss of speaking ability, end to normal daily activity Stage 3: Needs institutionalization, can't speak
76
What are the three D's of psychological distress?
Delirium, Depression, Dementia.

Aging (11 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions