Mental Wellbeing across the Lifespan
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Mental Wellbeing across the Lifespan Assessing Brain Changes • Fluid cognitive abilities, such as paying attention or recalling names, tend to decline in later life. • Crystallised stores of knowledge, experience and wisdom can be maintained or increased in later life. Cognitive Functioning Emotional Functioning • There is evidence that older adults experience negative emotions such as sadness and worthlessness less frequently than younger adults. • Brain scans can reveal differences in brain structure and function that relate to mental wellbeing. • Brain images can be compared to a standard rating scale (Scheltens et al, 1992) to determine how healthy the brain is. Figure adapted from Mroczek , D.K., and Kolark , C.M. (1998). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75, 1333-49. Figure adapted from Craik , F.I.M., and Bialystok, E. (2006).Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 10, 131-8. Performance Childho od Maturit y Old Age ‘Crystall ised’ knowledge ‘Fluid’ processin g Age 25 Age 65 Age 45 Negative Emotions Experienced Healthy older adult Adult with Alzheimer’s disease Images showing progressive shrinkage of the brain and enlargement of the fluid filled spaces. L R R L R L R L R L R L The LiveWell programme is funded by the Lifelong Health and Wellbeing programme, which is a Cross- Research Councils initiative in partnership with the UK Health Departments.
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R. L. R. L. R. L. R. L. R. L. R. L. Mental Wellbeing across the Lifespan. Cognitive Functioning. Emotional Functioning. Fluid cognitive abilities, such as paying attention or recalling names, tend to decline in later life. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of Mental Wellbeing across the Lifespan
Mental Wellbeing across the Lifespan
Assessing Brain Changes
• Fluid cognitive abilities, such as paying attention or recalling names, tend to decline in later life.• Crystallised stores of knowledge, experience and wisdom can be maintained or increased in later life.
Cognitive Functioning Emotional Functioning
• There is evidence that older adults experience negative emotions such as sadness and worthlessness less frequently than younger adults.
• Brain scans can reveal differences in brain structure and function that relate to mental wellbeing.
• Brain images can be compared to a standard rating scale (Scheltens et al, 1992) to determine how healthy the brain is.
Figure adapted from Mroczek , D.K., and Kolark , C.M. (1998). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75, 1333-49.
Figure adapted from Craik , F.I.M., and Bialystok, E. (2006).Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 10, 131-8.
Perf
orm
ance
Childhood Maturity Old Age
‘Crystallised’ knowledge
‘Fluid’ processing
Age 25 Age 65 Age 45
Neg
ative
Em
otion
s Exp
erie
nced
Healthy older adult Adult with Alzheimer’s disease Images showing progressive shrinkage of the brain and enlargement of the fluid filled spaces.
LR
R LR L
R L R LR L
The LiveWell programme is funded by the Lifelong Health and Wellbeing programme, which is a Cross-Research Councils initiative in partnership with the UK Health Departments.
