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Adulthood Development. Physical Development. Physical abilities, such as muscular strength, cardiac (heart) output, sensory keenness, and reaction time peak in the mid 20s After that, adults experience a gradual decline in physical abilities
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Physical Development • Physical abilities, such as muscular strength, cardiac (heart) output, sensory keenness, and reaction time peak in the mid 20s • After that, adults experience a gradual decline in physical abilities • Environmental factors, such as exercise and healthy lifestyle habits, can create variations in decline for individuals
Physical Development • Menopause cessation (stoppage) of menstruation in women, usually occurring from 45-50 years of age • Usually associated with hot flashes and night sweats • Can rarely be accompanied by depression • Men experience a gradual decline in sperm count, testosterone levels, and speed of erection with age • Most men do not experience a mid-life crisis
Sensory Abilities • The lens of the eye becomes more transparent and the pupils shrink • More light is required for reading • All senses decline with age, however it is usually a gradual decline until around age 75 • Hearing declines faster than any other sense
Health • Elderly people are less susceptible to short-term illnesses, like a cold or a sore throat • More susceptible to long-term illnesses, such as pneumonia and influenza • Under 5% of people over the age of 65 end up living in assisted care facilities, such as nursing homes
Brain • Brain cells begin to die by the end of adolescence, however it is a very gradual process • By the age of 80, most people have lost 5% of their total brain mass • May be more significant due to Alzheimer's Disease, strokes, tumors, and alcohol) • Alzheimer’s Disease is a degeneration of acetylcholine-producing neurons • Lost of function includes, first memory, then reasoning and language • Estrogen supplements have been shown to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s in post-menopausal women
Cognitive Development • The elderly lose the ability to recall, but not recognize words • The older people get, the less they can remember meaningless information • However, retention of meaningful information remains
Intelligence • Thoughts on the effects of aging on memory have changed over the years • 1. Cross-sectional study – people of different ages are compared to one another. • Indicated that IQ decreased fairly uniformly with age • 2. Longitudinal study – the same people are restudied over a long period of time. • IQ remained fairly stable for most of a person’s lifetime • 3. Different types of intelligence: • Crystallized intelligence (how much you know) – increases with age • Fluid intelligence (ability to new problems) – decreases with age (slowly to age 75, more rapidly after that