This study compared the relative importance of attentional capacity and processing speed accounts of cognitive aging with regard to how well they predict age differences in episodic and working memory performance. Two research projects were completed involving 150 and 100 right-handed adults between the ages of 18 and 90. In Study 1, each participant was administered measures of attentional capacity, processing speed and episodic memory. In Study 2 the processing speed measures were chosen to reduce the involvement of perceptual scanning and memory ability, and multiple measures of dual-task performance were used. Two working memory tasks were also administered along with the same episodic memory measures used in Study 1. The results of the studies revealed the following: (1) Measures of attentional capacity shared relatively smaller proportions of age-related episodic memory variance (14-45%) than measures of processing speed (60-87%). (2) Measures of attentional capacity shared very small proportions of age-related episodic memory variance (1-2%) independent of speed of processing. In contrast, measures of processing speed shared substantial proportions of age-related episodic memory variance (37-76%) that were independent of attentional capacity performance. (3) Measures of attentional capacity and processing speed shared comparable proportions of age-related working memory variance (58 and 65%) as well as comparable proportions of shared variance that was independent of the other mediator (10% attentional capacity; 17% processing speed). (4) The age-attentional capacity relations were attenuated to a large extent when performance on processing speed measures was controlled for (77-88%). In contrast the age-processing speed attenuations after control of attentional capacity performance were much smaller (6-55%). Taken together, these results provide little support for any predictive utility of the attentional capacity construct independent of processing speed ability in accounting for age-episodic memory relations although they are consistent with the notion that attentional capacity might mediate aspects of age-related working memory change. In contrast, these results contribute to the large body of evidence consistent with the notion that age-related decrements in the speed of executing relatively simple processing operations might be responsible for age-related differences in several cognitive domains.

Memory monitoring, or the ability to accurately assess one’s memory retrieval success, is known to be declined for older adults. The behavioral decline has been well explored, and is specific to tasks of source monitoring; tasks involving item memory monitoring do not show age-related deficits. This study attempts to further characterize the decline by exploring neuroanatomical contributions to the decline, and genetic influences that may explain performance variability in older adults. Older adults were genotyped for the serotonin transporter (5-HTTLPR) gene, and those that are carriers of the low-expressing allele demonstrate the expected age-related decline of source monitoring performance when compared to younger adults. Interestingly, older adults who lack this allele did not display any decline in performance when compared to younger adults. Neuroanatomical correlates of task performance indicate that prefrontal regions in the inferior and lateral cortices support accurate source memory monitoring, likely through their role in the proper selection of memory cues and inhibition of irrelevant information. This relationship suggests that age-related atrophy occurring in these structures could be responsible for the performance deficits on source memory monitoring tasks. There was no direct relationship seen between genotype for the 5-HTTLPR gene and cortical volumes, however diffusion tensor imaging shows that older adults who carry this allele have altered connections between the medial temporal lobe, responsible for memory retrieval, and prefrontal cortex, which monitors the retrieval process. Through stronger connections of critical networks, older adults who lack the 5-HTTLPR short allele may be able to compensate for the age-related atrophy seen in the prefrontal cortex. Functional results further indicate that the older adult non-carriers recruit inferior and lateral frontal regions to a greater extent than the older adult carriers during accurate memory monitoring. These results begin to suggest a neuroprotective mechanism for the 5-HTTLPR genotype, wherein some older adults may be able to postpone the expected decline of memory monitoring by retaining the ability to recruit essential inferior frontal structures through more organized white matter pathways. / text

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the 5 stages of change identified in the transtheoretical model (Prochaska & DiClemente, 1983) accurately describe stages of adopting exercise and strength training behaviors among older adults; and to test if the variables of age, gender, education, current level of physical activity, and health problems are accurate measures of predicting stage. Participants included 277 residents of 6 continuing care retirement communities in a midwestern state. A site administered survey instrument used a modified Stages of Change Instrument (Marcus, Selby, Niaura, & Rossi, 1992); the Health Status Inventory (Gorely & Gordon, 1995); and the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly° (Washburn, Smith, Jette, & Janney, 1993).The study was the first to test whether the 5 stages could be found for strength training, an exercise type. All 5 stages of change were present in both exercise and strength training behaviors but in differing proportions. Results suggest the need to design different strategies to move persons from one stage to another for strength training and exercise. The majority of participants were consistent exercisers as 52% were in maintenance, the stage where people are exercising regularly and have been for longer than six months. The most promising result found 16% in the maintenance stage for strength training behavior with 53% in contemplation, the stage where people are thinking about beginning.A logistic regression analysis was used to conclude that current level of physical activity and number of health problems have some predictive accuracy for stages to adopt exercise and strength training behaviors. The variables of age, gender, and education were not found to be predictive in this study. / Department of Educational Leadership

A recent phenomenon widely noted among international volunteer agencies and church mission boards is an increase in the number of older adults offering service in foreign countries. To be effective, these people often need to learn a new language. However, much evidence has shown that older adults have a more difficult time than their younger adult counterparts in acquiring a second language.The case studies in this ethnography describe the language learning experiences of 26 adult students of Spanish during their first trimester at a language school in Central America. Most were planning some type of missionary service in Latin American countries after graduation. There were nine younger learners (20-39 years of age), eight middle-aged learners (40-49) years), and nine older learners (50-65 years). The research centered on these students' language learning self-image and expectations for success. The purpose was to learn more about what happens to adults, especially older learners, as they attempt to acquire a second language in a school located in a naturalistic setting and where classes are comprised of learners of mixed ages. Factors relevant to success and failure were investigated in the hope that language acquisition could be facilitated for these people.The researcher functioned as a participant-observer, taking a full load of classes and also conducting bi-weekly tape-recorded private interviews with the other 25 learners. Other data were obtained from language-learning journals and from observations of the students in their classrooms, community activities, and local homes. The teachers also shared what they had observed over the years about the characteristics of successful adult learners. A mail questionnaire was completed by 47 alumni of the school.The findings illuminated problems some learners have in balancing needs for immersion into the new culture and fellowship with same-culture classmates, finding good conversation partners in the community, obtaining useful types and amounts of error correction from native speakers, learning to shed ethnocentrism, and coping with differences between learning and teaching styles in the classroom. Specific suggestions are offered for adults wishing to obtain the most from their language school investment. / Department of English

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2007. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2004. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Southern California, 1996. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Southern California, 1996. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:25:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-12-02Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:47:49Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 santos_vjb_me_botfm.pdf: 165407 bytes, checksum: 75e1e4eb834684addce37aa949b6f2b8 (MD5) / A síndrome da apnéia obstrutiva do sono (SAOS) está relacionada à lesão cardiovascular, causada por hipóxia intermitente e elevação de catecolaminas circulantes. A relação entre SAOS e doenças cardiovasculares não é completamente compreendida. Poucos estudos têm sido realizados em crianças. Uma série de relatos de casos de complicações cardiovasculares secundárias a distúrbios respiratórios obstrutivos graves relacionados ao sono têm sido descritos em pacientes pediátricos, como hipertensão pulmonar e cor pulmonale. Há divergências entre os estudos quanto à recuperação dos níveis de pressão arterial normal e descenso fisiológico noturno após a correção obstrutiva distúrbio respiratório. O objetivo deste estudo é studar as alterações da pressão arterial em crianças com distúrbios respiratórios obstrutivos, antes e após a correção dos distúrbios respiratórios através de adenotonsilectomia. Selecionamos crianças, de ambos os sexos, com idades entre 8-12 anos, com sintomas de distúrbios respiratórios do sono, com indicação de adenotonsilectomia. Submetidas à polissonografia basal, foram alocadas em dois grupos de acordo com diagnóstico de SAOS ou Ronco Primário. Realizou-se a monitorização de 24 horas da pressão arterial, repetido seis meses após a adenotonsilectomia. Um total de 26 crianças foram incluídas, dezoito eram do sexo masculino, idade média era de 11 anos. Crianças do grupo SAOS apresentaram níveis elevados de pressão arterial média e diastólica, quando comparadas a crianças do grupo Ronco Primário. A perda do descenso noturno fisiológico foi 6,66 vezes maior entre as crianças do grupo SAOS. Após adenotonsilectomia os grupos se mostraram homogêneos quanto aos níveis tensionais, sendo que a chance de perda do descenso noturno passou a ser insignificante... / Obstructive Sleep Apnea is related to cardiovascular injury, caused by intermittent hypoxia and elevation of circulating catecholamine. The mechanisms underlying the link between OSA and cardiovascular diseases are not completely understood. Only few studies have been performed in children. A number of case reports described cardiovascular complications of severe obstructive sleep-disordered breathing in pediatric patients, such as pulmonary hypertension and cor pulmonale. There are differences between studies regarding the recovery of normal blood pressure levels and nocturnal physiological decline after correcting obstructive respiratory disorder. The aim of this study is to study the 24 hours monitoring of blood pressure in children with OSA, before and after respiratory disorders correction through adenotonsillectomy. We selected children of both genders, aged 8-12 years with symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing, with indication of adenotonsillectomy. Underwent overnight polysomnography, were allocated into two groups according to diagnosis of OSA or primary snoring. We calculated the 24-hour monitoring of blood pressure, repeated six months after adenotonsillectomy. A total of 26 children were included, eighteen were male, median age was 11 years. Children of the OSA group showed elevated levels of diastolic and mean arterial pressure when compared to children in the Primary Snoring. The loss of physiological nocturnal dip was 6.66 times higher among children in the OSA. After adenotonsillectomy groups were homogeneous with regard to blood pressure levels, and the chance of loss of nocturnal became statistically insignificant. Our results clearly indicate that OSA children have an increased blood pressure 24 hours compared with those with primary snoring... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Orientador: Silke Anna Theresa Weber / Banca: José Roberto Fioretto / Banca: Inge Elly Kiemle Trindade / Resumo: A síndrome da apnéia obstrutiva do sono (SAOS) está relacionada à lesão cardiovascular, causada por hipóxia intermitente e elevação de catecolaminas circulantes. A relação entre SAOS e doenças cardiovasculares não é completamente compreendida. Poucos estudos têm sido realizados em crianças. Uma série de relatos de casos de complicações cardiovasculares secundárias a distúrbios respiratórios obstrutivos graves relacionados ao sono têm sido descritos em pacientes pediátricos, como hipertensão pulmonar e cor pulmonale. Há divergências entre os estudos quanto à recuperação dos níveis de pressão arterial normal e descenso fisiológico noturno após a correção obstrutiva distúrbio respiratório. O objetivo deste estudo é studar as alterações da pressão arterial em crianças com distúrbios respiratórios obstrutivos, antes e após a correção dos distúrbios respiratórios através de adenotonsilectomia. Selecionamos crianças, de ambos os sexos, com idades entre 8-12 anos, com sintomas de distúrbios respiratórios do sono, com indicação de adenotonsilectomia. Submetidas à polissonografia basal, foram alocadas em dois grupos de acordo com diagnóstico de SAOS ou Ronco Primário. Realizou-se a monitorização de 24 horas da pressão arterial, repetido seis meses após a adenotonsilectomia. Um total de 26 crianças foram incluídas, dezoito eram do sexo masculino, idade média era de 11 anos. Crianças do grupo SAOS apresentaram níveis elevados de pressão arterial média e diastólica, quando comparadas a crianças do grupo Ronco Primário. A perda do descenso noturno fisiológico foi 6,66 vezes maior entre as crianças do grupo SAOS. Após adenotonsilectomia os grupos se mostraram homogêneos quanto aos níveis tensionais, sendo que a chance de perda do descenso noturno passou a ser insignificante... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Obstructive Sleep Apnea is related to cardiovascular injury, caused by intermittent hypoxia and elevation of circulating catecholamine. The mechanisms underlying the link between OSA and cardiovascular diseases are not completely understood. Only few studies have been performed in children. A number of case reports described cardiovascular complications of severe obstructive sleep-disordered breathing in pediatric patients, such as pulmonary hypertension and cor pulmonale. There are differences between studies regarding the recovery of normal blood pressure levels and nocturnal physiological decline after correcting obstructive respiratory disorder. The aim of this study is to study the 24 hours monitoring of blood pressure in children with OSA, before and after respiratory disorders correction through adenotonsillectomy. We selected children of both genders, aged 8-12 years with symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing, with indication of adenotonsillectomy. Underwent overnight polysomnography, were allocated into two groups according to diagnosis of OSA or primary snoring. We calculated the 24-hour monitoring of blood pressure, repeated six months after adenotonsillectomy. A total of 26 children were included, eighteen were male, median age was 11 years. Children of the OSA group showed elevated levels of diastolic and mean arterial pressure when compared to children in the Primary Snoring. The loss of physiological nocturnal dip was 6.66 times higher among children in the OSA. After adenotonsillectomy groups were homogeneous with regard to blood pressure levels, and the chance of loss of nocturnal became statistically insignificant. Our results clearly indicate that OSA children have an increased blood pressure 24 hours compared with those with primary snoring... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre