Development: Ageing

Question 1

What are the 2 types of ageing?

Answer 1

primary - natural decline

secondary - results from disease, disuse or abuse

Question 2

What is the menopause?
What is it caused by?
What are the primary/secondary symptoms?
Treatment?

Answer 2

• end of reproductive year, -occurs in all women
• caused by decline in oestrogen
• primary = hot flushes, night sweats
• secondary = vaginal dryness, depression, somatic symptoms, fatigue etc.
• treatment = HRT but less so today

Question 3

Why do we age?

What are the 4 biological theories of ageing?

Answer 3

1. Wear and Tear
2. Cellular
   Type 1 - limited to the number of types a cell can divide
   Type 2 - cross-linking proteins in cells interact to produce molecules leading to stiffness
   Type 3 - free radicals interact with molecules and cause cellular damage and shut organs down
   Type 4 - DNA is unable to replicate itself when cells divide / DNA repair system
3. Rate of living - born with limited amount of physiological capacity
4. programmed cell death - cells are genetically programmed to die

Question 4

What are the physiological changes that occur when we age?

Answer 4

Brain = cell body and axon changes, plaques
CVS = acculumation of fat deposits, stiffening of artery walls
IRM = rib cage and air passagways become stiffer
Appearance and movement = skin, muscle decline, internal bone mass decline
Senses = transmissiveness
Immune function = changes in immune cells

Question 5

What are some psychological and cognitive changes that occur with ageing?

Answer 5

• infromation processing
• attention
• physcomotor spped
• mental and psycho-social health concerns
• organic mental disorder
• changing relationships

Question 6

What is dementia?

What is the pathogenesis?

Answer 6

Relentless progressive cognitive decline - permentant brain damage and incurable
Microscoping changes involving neurones
- neurofibrillary tangles
- neurtic plaques

Question 7

What are the characteristics of dementia?

Answer 7

• communication difficulties
• spatial and temoral disorientation
• aberrant behaviours
• incontinence
• memory loss
• changes in personality
• depression/paranoia
• diminished ability to self care
• inappropriate sexual behaviours
• wandering
• family burden and stress