Physical and Cognitive Development in Middle Adulthood

Physical and Cognitive Development in Middle Adulthood Dr. Arra PSY 232

Middle Adulthood (40 – 60) COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT • Crystallized vs. Fluid Intelligence • Gains in crystallized • Loss in fluid • Seattle Longitudinal Study

Middle Adulthood (40 – 60) • Intellectual Development is plastic • Illness or unfavorable environments/economics are linked to decline in mental abilities • Stimulating occupations, hobbies, social networks, friends, marriages, good health, flexible personalities, and economic advantage are linked to favorable cognitive development

Middle Adulthood (40 – 60) GENERALLY SPEAKING…… • Women outperform men on verbal tasks • Men excel at spatial skills • BRAIN

Middle Adulthood (40 – 60) • Processing speed slows • IQ tests • Neural Network View: as neurons in the brain die, breaks in neural networks occur • Brain adapts by forming neural bypasses which are less efficient

Middle Adulthood (40 – 60) • Retain less information in working memory; due to lack of use of memory strategies • Middle-aged adults are good problem solvers • Practice • Experience • ‘wise’

Middle Adulthood (40 – 60) HEALTH AND FITNESS Vision • 40’s: difficulty reading small print is common; weakening of muscles used to focus (lens) • 50’s: lens thickens and hardens; less flexibility and ability to focus • 60: presbyopia- lens loses its ability to adjust to objects at varying distances entirely • Thickening and enlarging of lens makes people nearsighted (corrective lenses for reading)

Middle Adulthood (40 – 60) VISION • Glaucoma – disease in which pressure builds up in the eye due to poor fluid drainage, damaging the optic nerve • Can progress without noticeable symptoms • Leading cause of blindness among older adults • Genetic; African Americans especially at-risk

Middle Adulthood (40 – 60) HEARING • 14% have hearing loss • Results from: • Presbycusis: when inner ear structures deteriorate (hairs, cells) and process of transduction from auditory nerve>auditory cortex slows as neurons age and die (reduced blood flow)

Middle Adulthood (40 – 60) HEARING • Hearing loss first at high frequencies • Gradually, the impairment extends to all frequencies so that human speech is difficult to make out • Men’s hearing declines earlier and at a faster rate; due to occupational hazards

Middle Adulthood (40 – 60) • Diet, exercise, alcohol use, and smoking affect present and future health. • Preventive care is important • Hypertension is a major health problem • Leading cause of death are cancer, heart disease, and diabetes • Stress and negative emotionality can effect health

Middle Adulthood (40 – 60) Climacteric- midlife transition in which fertility declines • Different between the sexes • Climacteric occurs over a ten year period in women • Production of estrogen drops • Therefore, the number of days in a women’s cycle shortens from 28 to 23

Middle Adulthood (40 – 60) • Cycles become irregular • Climacteric concludes with menopause • Menopause: the end of menstruation and reproductive capacity • Occurs at age 51 (42-58) • Women who smoke and have not borne children tend to reach menopause earlier

Middle Adulthood (40 – 60) • After menopause, estrogen continues to decline • Causes the reproductive organs to shrink in size • The genitals are less easily stimulated • Period leading up to menopause can be accompanied by emotional and physical symptoms

Middle Adulthood (40 – 60) • Mood fluctuations • Hot flashes – periodic sensations of warmth, accompanied by increased body temperature, redness in the face, neck, and chest, and sweating • Common in approximately 75% of women • Hot flashes can also cause sleeplessness and irritability

Middle Adulthood (40 – 60) • Hormone therapy is used to reduce discomfort of menopause • low doses of estrogen or estrogen and progesterone are given • Can cause heart attacks, blood clots, and strokes • Can cause breast cancer

Middle Adulthood (40 – 60) • Men also experience a climacteric • Decrease in quantity of sperm • However, sperm continue to be produced throughout life • Testosterone production declines only very gradually with age; no male counterpart to menopause

Middle Adulthood (40 – 60) • Due to reduced blood flow to penis, erectile dysfunctions affect about 25% of men by age 60. • Stress, alcohol abuse, and cardiovascular disease contribute to the problem • Use of drugs which increase blood flow to penis temporarily relieves erectile dysfunction

Middle Adulthood (40 – 60) OCCUPATIONAL STRESS • Work overload • Interpersonal conflict • Sexual harassment • A combination of high pressure and low control • Inability to ‘unwind’ • Continual stress may lead to ‘burnout’

Middle Adulthood (40 – 60) EDUCATION • Many adults go to college • Many adults participate in continuing education within their respective fields • Some adults go to college to prepare for a change of career • Adults have both strengths and needs (e.g., slower processing speed, technology/computer deficits, readjustment to college….)

Physical and Cognitive Development in Middle Adulthood