Which cognitive changes are described for late adulthood?

• A. Memory improvement with age
• B. Heightened reaction time
• C. Dementia and Alzheimer's
• D. Increased problem-solving abilities

Answer: (C)

In late adulthood, cognitive aging often shows slower processing speed, less flexible attention, and some decline in memory, especially for recent events. Crystallized abilities like vocabulary and general knowledge tend to stay stable or even improve with experience. Reaction time tends to become slower, not faster. While some older adults maintain strong problem-solving skills due to life experience, overall problem-solving ability does not typically increase. Dementia and Alzheimer's disease, however, are serious cognitive changes that can occur with age and represent pathological conditions affecting memory, thinking, and daily functioning. They’re more than normal aging and become more common as people get older. So among the options, dementia and Alzheimer's best reflect the kinds of significant cognitive changes associated with late adulthood, while the others describe changes that are not characteristic of typical aging.