Association between a history of falls and the ability to multi-task in community-dwelling older people

作者：Makizako Hyuma^*; Furuna Taketo; Shimada Hiroyuki; Ihira Hikaru; Kimura Mika; Uchiyama Eiichi; Oddsson Lars I E

来源：Aging Clinical and Experimental Research, 2010, 22(5-6): 427-432.

DOI：10.3275/6763

• Aging
• attention
• balance
• dual task paradigm
• falls
• reaction time

Background and aims: Many older people fall when they perform tasks which require increased attention. The aim of this study was to determine differences in reaction times, during simple-, dual- and triple-task conditions requiring differing levels of motor coordination, balance control and cognitive attention, between groups of fallers and non-fallers in community-dwelling older individuals. Methods: The study involved the recruitment of 87 older individuals living at home, 57 women and 30 men aged 75 to 91 years. Reaction times, measured by pushing a handheld button as quickly as possible in response to a visual stimulus, were measured in four conditions: 1) quiet standing (simple-task); 2) counting backward during quiet standing (dual-task with cognitive demand); 3) stepping in place (dual-task with balance demand); and 4) counting backward while stepping in place (triple-task with cognitive and balance demands). Results: Twenty-nine (33.3%) participants had fallen at least once during the past year. There were no statistically significant differences in reaction times between non-fallers and fallers during any of the tasks. Reaction times were significantly longer during the dual- and triple-tasks compared with the simple-task conditions in both groups. The ratio between reaction times during dual-tasks with balance demands (stepping in place) and those in the simple-task condition were significantly related to a history of falls and showed the highest odds ratio (OR 3.16, 95% CI 1.06-9.45, p=0.04). Conclusions: Relative changes in reaction times during a dual-task with balance demands were related to a history of falls in community-dwelling older individuals. Reaction times in dual-task conditions with a balance demand were more sensitive to past falls than those during a dual-task with cognitive demands.

• 出版日期2010-12