[Fall in the elderly and periventricular hyperintensity]

To investigate the relationship between brain white-matter changes and incidences of falling in the elderly, we studied periventricular hyperintensity (PVH) on brain MRI and history of falling in 73 neurologically normal elderly people. They were divided into 3 groups: group I; 9 prone to falling (mean ages 79 years), group II; 16 who felt mild gait disturbance without falling (75), group III; 48 asymptomatic controls (76). We evaluated white-matter changes as the sum of the length of PVH at 4 and 8 measuring points. Cognitive function and body sway were also evaluated. The frontal PVH was significantly larger in the group I than in the other two groups. Group I showed significantly lower Kohs' IQ than those in the other two groups. There was no difference in body sway among the groups. These results suggests that the propensity to falling in the elderly may be an initial symptom of frontal white-matter changes.