Relationship Between Balance and Cognitive Performance in Older People

Article type: Short Communication

Authors: Leandri, Massimo^{a; *} | Campbell, Jackie^b | Molfetta, Luigi^c | Barbera, Cristina^d | Tabaton, Massimo^e

Affiliations: [a] School of Medicine, DINOGMI and CIND, University of Genova, Genova, Italy | [b] School of Health, The University of Northampton, Northampton, UK | [c] School of Medicine, DINOGMI, University of Genova, Genova, Italy | [d] School of Medicine, University of Genova, Genova, Italy | [e] School of Medicine, DIMI, University of Genova, Genova, Italy

Correspondence: [*] Correspondence to: Massimo Leandri, CIND, Via Dodecaneso 35, 16146 Genova, Italy. Tel.: +39 10 537081; Fax: +39 10 538565; E-mail: massimo.leandri@unige.it.

Abstract: We investigated the relationship between balance and cognitive level in a group of 70 women with no definite Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment diagnosis and no impairment of daily activity. Static stabilometry and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test were performed. The antero-posterior sway component was demonstrated to be the best predictor of the MoCA overall score. As visual and proprioceptive components of balance could safely be excluded in our assessments, the vestibular system is to be considered as a putative link between balance and cognitive impairment.

Keywords: Aging, cognitive performance, postural balance, vestibular system

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-142883

Journal: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 45, no. 3, pp. 705-707, 2015