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Functional neural correlates of reduced physiological falls risk
Lindsay S Nagamatsu1, Chun Liang Hsu, Todd C Handy
1Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC, Canada.
Behavioral and Brain Functions : BBF
|August 18, 2011
Summary
Executive cognitive function, specifically response inhibition and selective attention, is linked to lower physiological falls risk in older women. Interventions enhancing neurocognitive plasticity may aid fall prevention.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gerontology
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- The relationship between executive cognitive processing and physiological falls risk in seniors is not well understood.
- Identifying such links could inform new fall prevention strategies targeting cognitive function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the independent association between executive cognitive function and physiological falls risk in older women.
- To explore whether brain activity in specific executive function regions relates to falls risk.
Main Methods:
- Secondary analysis of 73 women (65-75 years) from a 12-month resistance training trial.
- Functional MRI (fMRI) during an executive function task (Eriksen Flanker).
- Assessment of falls risk using the Physiological Profile Assessment (PPA).
Main Results:
- Baseline activation in the left frontal orbital cortex/insula negatively correlated with falls risk.
- Baseline activation in the paracingulate gyrus/anterior cingulate gyrus positively correlated with falls risk.
- These associations remained significant after controlling for age, group, baseline falls risk, and white matter volume.
Conclusions:
- Executive cognitive functions, including response inhibition and selective attention, are independently associated with reduced physiological falls risk.
- Falls prevention programs could benefit from incorporating interventions that promote neurocognitive plasticity, such as aerobic exercise.
