Question 1

An important step in the diagnosis of depression in older adults is ruling out other possible causes of symptoms, including neurological disorders, medical side effects, metabolic conditions, and substance abuse.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 2

Why is it that older adults seem to have declines in their psychomotor speed and their working memories when compared to younger adults?

Accepted Answer

A)  Because they experience a reduction in neurofibrillary tangles, which inhibits the ability of neurons to send messages at a maximally efficient speed. 
B)  Because they experience a reduction in the ability of the corpus callosum to send messages from one cerebral hemisphere to the other. 
C)  Because they experience more neuronal death in the diencephalon (the thalamus and hypothalamus), which hinders these cognitive skills. 
D)  Because they show greater activation of the prefrontal cortex on easier tasks, thus "using up" their brain power before they ascend to more difficult tasks.

Question 3

Why is it, do you think, that people with more education tend to live longer lives?

Accepted Answer

A)  More education provides more income, which allows access to better medical care. 
B)  More education is associated with living in safer neighborhoods. 
C)  More education provides more information about prenatal care, which allows for healthier pregnancies. 
D)  People who have more education are more likely to get married, and statistics show that married people live longer than unmarried people.

Question 4

In the research conducted by Camp and Skrajner (2005) discussed in your textbook, it was found that patients with dementia may have the capacity to learn to be skilled group leaders. What was the most salient limitation of this research?

Accepted Answer

A)  It only involved four participants. 
B)  It only involved European American participants. 
C)  It only involved female participants. 
D)  It only involved participants from low socioeconomic statuses.

Question 5

As a demographer, Sherwood would be most interested in studying

Accepted Answer

A)  implicit memory. 
B)  the number of neural connections contained in the central nervous system. 
C)  the distinction between presbyopia and presbycusis. 
D)  how the number of young people in a population has changed over the past 50 years.

Question 6

________, a protein that is produced in abnormally high levels in patients with Alzheimer's disease, may be responsible for the neurofibrillary tangles and neuritic plaques that are related to the development of the illness.

Accepted Answer

The answer of ________, a protein that is produced in...

Question 7

Dr. Kobayashi wants to know what is going on in her patient's brain. Specifically, she wants to know how the activity of the brain changes when certain tasks are being performed. She is most likely to order a round of _________ neuroimaging tests.

Accepted Answer

A)  dynamic 
B)  functional 
C)  adaptive 
D)  structural

Question 8

Which statement about depression is true?

Accepted Answer

A)  Physical symptoms may include loss of appetite, insomnia, and trouble breathing. 
B)  In older people, trouble breathing is a very good predictor of depression. 
C)  It is easy to diagnose as the symptoms are unlike any other disorder. 
D)  It does not involve any significant impairment in daily life activities.

Question 9

Which theory of aging would be most useful at explaining why muscle tissue and some arteries get stiffer over time, leading to potentially severe consequences?

Accepted Answer

A)  free radical theory 
B)  cross-linking theory 
C)  programmed theory 
D)  wear-and-tear theory

Question 10

The changes in memory that occur as we age have been found to have a neurological basis; specifically, shrinking of different brain structures, including the ________ as we age is related to declines in the recall of stored information.

Accepted Answer

A)  hypothalamus 
B)  hippocampus 
C)  thalamus 
D)  medulla

Question 11

Transmission of what sort of proteins across neurons has offered hope that a drug or other effective therapy for Alzheimer's disease could be developed?

Accepted Answer

A)  tau 
B)  gamma 
C)  epsilon 
D)  psi

Question 12

By the year 2040, China expects to have over ______ people over the age of 60 living in that country.

Accepted Answer

A)  75 million 
B)  150 million 
C)  225 million 
D)  300 million

Question 13

It is estimated that by the year 2030, 85% of older adults in the United States of America will have earned a high school diploma.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

Generally speaking, research has found that creativity tends to peak during a person's ________ and declines thereafter.

Accepted Answer

A)  twenties 
B)  thirties 
C)  forties 
D)  fifties

Question 15

The tips of chromosomes, which may play a role in the manner in which we age, are called ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  telomeres 
B)  free radicals 
C)  beta-amyloids 
D)  neurofibrillary tangles

Question 16

When it comes to longevity, research has found that heredity is the major factor in determining how long a person will live. Environmental factors provide some input, but very little.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

If you were in charge of developing programs aimed at elderly individuals in the United States, for which group would you LEAST plan to expand services in the next decade?

Accepted Answer

A)  Native Americans 
B)  Asian Americans 
C)  European Americans 
D)  Pacific Islanders

Question 18

The term ________, used by psychologists to mean feeling sad or down, is a prominent symptom of depression.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The term ________, used by psychologists to...

Question 19

Christopher suffers from a terrible illness that has rendered him unable to care for himself, to hold a job, or to live independently. He is only 32 years of age. Reevis is a 70-year-old college professor who has considered retirement but thinks that it is still three or four years away. Which of the following statements is the MOST accurate regarding these two gentlemen?

Accepted Answer

A)  Christopher has a shorter average life expectancy than Reevis. 
B)  Christopher has a shorter longevity than Reevis. 
C)  Christopher has a shorter useful life expectancy than Reevis. 
D)  Christopher will have a shorter maximum life expectancy than Reevis.

Question 20

Elijah asks his doctor how long he can plan to live without any major medical problems or impairments. Elijah is asking about _____ life expectancy.

Accepted Answer

A)  maximum 
B)  useful 
C)  average 
D)  modal

Exam 14: The Personal Context of Later Life: Physical, Cognitive, and Mental Health Issues

An important step in the diagnosis of depression in older adults is ruling out other possible causes of symptoms, including neurological disorders, medical side effects, metabolic conditions, and substance abuse.

Why is it that older adults seem to have declines in their psychomotor speed and their working memories when compared to younger adults?

Why is it, do you think, that people with more education tend to live longer lives?

In the research conducted by Camp and Skrajner (2005) discussed in your textbook, it was found that patients with dementia may have the capacity to learn to be skilled group leaders. What was the most salient limitation of this research?

As a demographer, Sherwood would be most interested in studying

________, a protein that is produced in abnormally high levels in patients with Alzheimer's disease, may be responsible for the neurofibrillary tangles and neuritic plaques that are related to the development of the illness.

Dr. Kobayashi wants to know what is going on in her patient's brain. Specifically, she wants to know how the activity of the brain changes when certain tasks are being performed. She is most likely to order a round of _________ neuroimaging tests.

Which statement about depression is true?

Which theory of aging would be most useful at explaining why muscle tissue and some arteries get stiffer over time, leading to potentially severe consequences?

The changes in memory that occur as we age have been found to have a neurological basis; specifically, shrinking of different brain structures, including the ________ as we age is related to declines in the recall of stored information.

Transmission of what sort of proteins across neurons has offered hope that a drug or other effective therapy for Alzheimer's disease could be developed?

By the year 2040, China expects to have over ______ people over the age of 60 living in that country.

It is estimated that by the year 2030, 85% of older adults in the United States of America will have earned a high school diploma.

Generally speaking, research has found that creativity tends to peak during a person's ________ and declines thereafter.

The tips of chromosomes, which may play a role in the manner in which we age, are called ________.

When it comes to longevity, research has found that heredity is the major factor in determining how long a person will live. Environmental factors provide some input, but very little.

If you were in charge of developing programs aimed at elderly individuals in the United States, for which group would you LEAST plan to expand services in the next decade?

The term ________, used by psychologists to mean feeling sad or down, is a prominent symptom of depression.

Elijah asks his doctor how long he can plan to live without any major medical problems or impairments. Elijah is asking about _____ life expectancy.