Middle Adulthood

• Presbyopia


  Loss of the eye's ability to focus on nearby objects due to loss of elasticity in the lens
• Myopia


  Nearsightedness
• Presbycusis


  Gradual loss of hearing that accelerates after age 55, especially with regard to sounds at higher frequencies
• Basal metabolism


  Use of energy to maintain vital functions
• Physical changes in the aging brain contribute to the declines in functioning
• There is a decrease in the volume of gray matter in the aging brain
• Myelin begins to break down with age
• Specific location & extent of changes in gray & white matter

  Associated with the severity of processing slowdown & the area of cognition affected
• People who show atrophy in the left insula are more likely to experience the tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon
• Education may slow the process of cognitive decline but not hinder it
• Keeping the mind & body busy are important to increase gray matter volume
• Busy mind


  Increases white & gray matter volume
• Adults who read or write regularly are more likely to retain their cognitive functions
• Cognitive interventions & mental stimulation have been shown to be effective in improving functioning
• Knowledge


  Based on experience can compensate for physical changes
• Menopause


  Takes place when a woman permanently stops ovulating & menstruating and can no longer conceive a child
• Menopause happens on average at about 50-52, with most women experiencing it between 45 & 53
• Menopausal transition


  The process of menopause generally begins in the mid 30's to mid 40's and can take approximately 3-5 years
• Perimenopause


  The period when a woman's production of mature ova begins to decline and the ovaries produce less estrogen
• Symptoms of menopause


  Hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, painful intercourse, sleep disturbances, mood disturbances, urinary incontinence, cognitive disturbances, somatic symptoms
• Hormonal changes in females

  Drop in estrogen
• Hormonal changes in males

  Drop in testosterone
• Erectile dysfunction is the persistent inability to achieve or maintain an erection for satisfactory performance
• Hypertension is chronically high blood pressure and is an increasingly important concern from midlife on
• Diabetes occurs when the body does not produce or properly use insulin
• Type 2 diabetes


  The most common type, typically begins at 30 and becomes more prevalent with age
• Osteoporosis


  Porous bone that becomes thin & brittle as a result of bone loss
• Common signs of osteoporosis include loss in height and hunchbacked posture
• Treatment approaches for osteoporosis

  Use of bisphosphonates, good lifestyle habits
• Mammography


  Diagnostic x-ray examination of breasts
• Hormone therapy


  Treatment with artificial estrogen, sometimes combined with progesterone
• Stress occurs when perceived environmental demands exceed a person's capacity to cope with them
• Stressors


  Perceived environmental demands
• The brain has an involvement in adapting to stress
• Common sources of reported stress include health, work, money, personal debt, housing instability, and hunger
• Fight or flight


  Classic stress response
• Tend and befriend


  Women's response pattern involving nurturing activities and reliance on social networks
• Negative emotions can suppress immune functioning and increase susceptibility to disease if excessive or long-lasting
• Positive emotions such as hope and curiosity are often associated with good health and longer life
• Positive outlook motivates people to engage in healthier practices