Cognitive Development in

1
Chapter 24

• Cognitive Development in
• Late Adulthood

Michael Hoerger
2
Brain Slowdown

• Cognitive tasks are slower with age
• Breakdown of myelin
• Reduced production of neurotransmitters
• Slower blood flow
• Not usually due to neuron death
• Healthy diet and education may be protective
  factors

3
Dementia

• Definition cognitive decline, for judgment,
  memory, and problem solving
• Over 70 causes well focus on two
• 1) Strokes can cause vascular dementia or
  multiple infarct dementia
• Infarcts (blocked blood vessels) prevent oxygen
  from reaching the brain
• Ministrokes are silent and common
• Lack of exercise, poor diet, and smoking increase
  risk

4

• 2) Alzheimers Disease most common dementia,
  characterized by plaques and tangles
• Autopsy findings
• Strokes more decline
• Odds increase with age, 20 over 85
• Genetics factors can increase or decrease risk
• Risk reducers healthy diet (fruits and
  vegetables), intellectual stimulation, physical
  exercise, no smoking

5
(No Transcript)
6

• Michael Hoerger
• To cite this textbook
• Berger, K. (2005). The developing person through
  the lifespan. New York Worth.
• To cite this lecture
• Hoerger, M. (2007, April 18). Developmental
  Psychology Late Adulthood Cognitive Development.
  Presented at a PSY 220 lecture at Central
  Michigan University.