NU 627 Chapter 1 Questions and Verified
Answers
Rule of fourths— Correct Answer: decline in aging, approximately one-fourth can
be attributed to disease, one-fourth to disuse (e.g., sedentary lifestyle, lack of mental
stimulation), and one-fourth to misuse (e.g., smoking, injuries from contact sports,
and adverse effects of prescription and/or recreational drugs). Only about one-
fourth can be attributed to physiologic aging.
Disease-related disability— Correct Answer: Example: decreased exercise tolerance
in a chronic smoker with chronic lung disease;
disuse-related disability— Correct Answer: Example: shortness of breath on
minimal exertion in a sedentary older person
misuse-related disability— Correct Answer: knee arthritis in a former football
player
disability related to physiologic aging— Correct Answer: trouble reading fine print
in a 50-year-old
If the problem is disease— Correct Answer: medical treatment is indicated.
If the problem is disuse— Correct Answer: can often be cured with an activity
regimen.
If the problem is misuse— Correct Answer: prior damage cannot be reversed but
steps can be taken to prevent deterioration and to preserve function
If the problem is physiologic aging— Correct Answer: steps should be taken to
adapt and compensate for the disability.
common physiologic changes noted with aging— Correct Answer: • The age at
which reading glasses are needed because of reduced lens elasticity is between 42
and 50 years.
, •Vestibular sensitivity gradually increases until about age 60 years, which is one of
the reasons why adults have increasing trouble on amusement park rides as they
age.
• Fertility in women peaks between 15 and 25 years and declines thereafter, with
menopause typically occurring about age 50 years
• Reaction time tends to increase with age (which explains why teenagers are
usually far better at games of speed—including many video games—than older
persons).
• The amount of sway a person will experience if asked to stand still with eyes
closed is high in early childhood, is minimized between about ages 15 and 16 years,
and then gradually increases beyond age 60 years.
• Ankle jerk reflexes are increasingly diminished or absent with older age, in the
absence of detectable musculoskeletal pathology.
• Bone density plateaus between ages 20 and 50 years, then gradually declines, with
the slope of decline being more rapid in women than in men.
Body composition— Correct Answer: Percent body water- Decreased
Percent body fat- Increased
Brain— Correct Answer: Weight decreases by 7%
Atrophy commonly noted
sleep patterns— Correct Answer: Markedly reduced stage 3 and 4 sleep
More frequent awakenings; reduced sleep efficiency
vision— Correct Answer: Lens accommodation Markedly reduced after age 40-50
years
Answers
Rule of fourths— Correct Answer: decline in aging, approximately one-fourth can
be attributed to disease, one-fourth to disuse (e.g., sedentary lifestyle, lack of mental
stimulation), and one-fourth to misuse (e.g., smoking, injuries from contact sports,
and adverse effects of prescription and/or recreational drugs). Only about one-
fourth can be attributed to physiologic aging.
Disease-related disability— Correct Answer: Example: decreased exercise tolerance
in a chronic smoker with chronic lung disease;
disuse-related disability— Correct Answer: Example: shortness of breath on
minimal exertion in a sedentary older person
misuse-related disability— Correct Answer: knee arthritis in a former football
player
disability related to physiologic aging— Correct Answer: trouble reading fine print
in a 50-year-old
If the problem is disease— Correct Answer: medical treatment is indicated.
If the problem is disuse— Correct Answer: can often be cured with an activity
regimen.
If the problem is misuse— Correct Answer: prior damage cannot be reversed but
steps can be taken to prevent deterioration and to preserve function
If the problem is physiologic aging— Correct Answer: steps should be taken to
adapt and compensate for the disability.
common physiologic changes noted with aging— Correct Answer: • The age at
which reading glasses are needed because of reduced lens elasticity is between 42
and 50 years.
, •Vestibular sensitivity gradually increases until about age 60 years, which is one of
the reasons why adults have increasing trouble on amusement park rides as they
age.
• Fertility in women peaks between 15 and 25 years and declines thereafter, with
menopause typically occurring about age 50 years
• Reaction time tends to increase with age (which explains why teenagers are
usually far better at games of speed—including many video games—than older
persons).
• The amount of sway a person will experience if asked to stand still with eyes
closed is high in early childhood, is minimized between about ages 15 and 16 years,
and then gradually increases beyond age 60 years.
• Ankle jerk reflexes are increasingly diminished or absent with older age, in the
absence of detectable musculoskeletal pathology.
• Bone density plateaus between ages 20 and 50 years, then gradually declines, with
the slope of decline being more rapid in women than in men.
Body composition— Correct Answer: Percent body water- Decreased
Percent body fat- Increased
Brain— Correct Answer: Weight decreases by 7%
Atrophy commonly noted
sleep patterns— Correct Answer: Markedly reduced stage 3 and 4 sleep
More frequent awakenings; reduced sleep efficiency
vision— Correct Answer: Lens accommodation Markedly reduced after age 40-50
years
