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Reinforcement
of positive attitudes about aging..
increased the walking speed of older adults. Adults
ages 63 to 82 played a computer game in which
words flashed on the screen. All of the subjects
reported seeing flashing on the screen, but none
could identify the words. In one group of participants,
the words being flashed were negative ones: "senile,"
"dependent," and "diseased."
The other group saw positive words: "accomplished,"
"astute," and "wise." Those
who saw the positive words picked up their normal
walking pace by 9%. There was no change in walking
speed among those who saw the negative words.
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, Vol.
47, No. 11
Smoking..
can lead to declining mental abilities. Current
smokers ages 65 and older were 3.6 to 4 times
more likely than those who had never smoked to
do poorly on cognitive tests.
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry,
Vol. 68, No. 5
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