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feel it； and when during development does it cease to influence thoughts； feelings； and
behavior？
199
PSYCHOLOGY AND LIFE
SUPPLEMENTAL LECTURE MATERIAL
The Effect of Divorce on Children
Divorce is troubling； difficult； and painful for children。 Discuss with your class about the negative
effects a divorce might have on a child between the ages of 2 and 12 who lives with the mother and
visits with the father on alternate weekends。 After mentioning the issues raised below； ask the class
how the concerns may be eliminated。
。 The child may feel that he or she caused the divorce。
。 The child may feel that the father wouldn’t have left if the father really loved him or her。
。 The child may feel insecure。 If one parent leaves； the other may leave； too。 If the father is
unable to keep a weekend visit with the child； the child may feel that he doesn’t want to see
her or him。
。 The child misses the things he or she did with the father； and bees lonely when
thinking about games they played together。
。 The child may have a conflict about loyalty to the parents。
。 The parents may involve the child in their disputes； or use the child as a pawn to
manipulate one another。
。 Financial considerations may make it necessary for the mother to move； and for the child to
change schools and make new friends。
。 The mother may have less time for the child after the separation or divorce because of a job
outside of the home； in addition to her usual responsibilities。
。 The mother’s own emotional turmoil over the divorce may make it difficult for her to
minister adequately to the child’s needs。
。 Although the child visits with the father on a bi…weekly basis； the child may not have
constant access to a male role model。
。 The child may perceive female friends of the father and male friends of the mother as
threats to his or her relationship with the parent。
Alzheimer’s Disease
A man in his late 60’s enters a hardware store； and； for a moment； bees disoriented。 He then
remembers that yesterday he was looking for the car keys that he already had in his hand。 A
dreadful thought es to mind： “Could I have Alzheimer’s disease？”
Alzheimer’s disease is named after the German psychiatrist； Alois Alzheimer； who first described it
in 1907。 The characteristic signs of Alzheimer’s are abnormalities in and loss of neurons in the
areas of the brain known as the hippocampus and the cortex。 As the disease advances；
abnormalities of the brain can be identified with imaging techniques； such as magnetic resonance
imaging （MRI）； but a definite diagnosis cannot be made until the brain tissue is examined after
death。
A book on dementias （dementia is Latin for madness） published in 1945； claimed that to date only 150
cases of Alzheimer’s disease had been reported and that the disease was considered to be very rare。
At the time； Alzheimer’s was classified as pre…senile dementia because the onset was thought to
occur before the age of 65。 For people over 65； virtually the same pattern of signs and symptoms was
diagnosed as senile dementia。 The cause of Alzheimer’s was unknown； but senile dementia was
attributed to age。 As a result of the similarity of most cases of senile dementia to Alzheimer’s； it
came to be known as senile dementia of the Alzheimer’s type。 In recent years； the distinction based
on age of onset has gradually been dropped。 Presently； dementia is medically defined as a loss of
mental petence with significant decline from the person’s former mental capability。
200
CHAPTER 11： HUMAN DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE LIFE SPAN
Approximately 5％ of people over 65 develop Alzheimer’s； with the incidence rising to about 20％ in
those past the age of 80。 It is a degenerative disorder； progressive in its destruction of functional
abilities； is irreversible； and terminal。 At the present； there is no known cure； although some
medication has been approved for its treatment。 Diminution and loss of short…term memory is
generally the first indication of Alzheimer’s。 A set of questions designed to test the reality
orientation of the individual includes such questions as “Where do you live？” and “What day of
the week is it？” The individual’s responses are one aspect of making tentative diagnosis in the early
stages of the disorder。 Arriving at a tentative diagnosis of Alzheimer’s also involves a process of
elimination。 Organic brain disorders such as schizophrenia； tumors； and strokes must be ruled out
as potential causes of the symptoms being displayed by the patient before hazarding a tentative
diagnosis of Alzheimer’s。
Following the initial loss of memory； deterioration of cognitive functioning is noted and； as the
disease progresses； the individual gradually loses the ability to walk； to feed him… or herself； and to
control the bladder and bowels。 In the terminal stage of the disease； the individual is reduced to a
vegetative state； unaware of the presence of friends and family； the surrounding environment； and
even his or her own identity。 Death usually occurs four to five years after onset； but the range is two
to ten years。
The cause of Alzheimer’s disease is not known。 The disease； or some form of it； may be genetically
transmitted。 There are similarities between Alzheimer’s disease and Down syndrome。 Down
syndrome is sometimes called Trisomy 21 to indicate the presence of three； rather than two；
chromosomes at the 21st position。 A gene on the same chromosome has been tentatively linked to
Alzheimer’s。 Other hypotheses about the causal agent for Alzheimer’s include a slow…acting virus
and toxic substances such as aluminum。 Whatever the primary causal agent； its presence is
believed to result in biochemical changes in the brain。 These changes have been posited to include
reduction in the availability of one or more of the following substances： acetylcholine； a
neurotransmitter； corticotropin…releasing factor； a hormone； and ribonucleic acid （RNA）。 Another
change noted in brain tissue is the appearance of fibers in the cytoplasm of neurons。 Dr。 Alois
Alzheimer called these fibers neurofibrillary tangles。 He also observed that some neurons appeared
to have shriveled； with their dendrites deteriorating to the degree that the cell could no longer
function； causing the neurons to collapse。 Alzheimer referred to sections of the brain where clusters
of the collapsed neurons were found as neuritic plaques。
In spite of scientific advances in knowledge about Alzheimer’s disease； for the patient and the
patient’s family； the disease remains irreversible； incurable； and virtually untreatable。 Custodial
care by a family member at home or in an institution is generally required as the disorder
progresses； in order to prevent the patient from hurting him… or herself or wandering off and getting
lost。 The nature of the disease is best described as regressive in that a once…petent adult loses
the ability to think rationally； language deteriorates； temper tantrums like those of early childhood
may occur； motor skills are lost； and finally； with loss of the ability to feed on