Visuospatial ability and memory are associated with falls risk in older people: a population-based study.
OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to examine whether falls risk is associated with cognitive functions beyond executive function/attention and processing speed.


METHODS
Cognitive function was measured in a population-based sample (n = 300) of people aged 60-86 years. The physiological profile assessment was used to estimate the falls risk.


RESULTS
After adjusting for confounders, visual construction (p < 0.01), executive function/attention and memory (both p < 0.05) were independently associated with falls risk. The associations for visual construction (p < 0.01) and memory (p < 0.01) remained after adjusting for executive function/ attention.


CONCLUSIONS
The neural basis underlying the associations of visuospatial function and memory with falls risk require further study.
Menzies Research Institute, Tas., Australia.
K
K
Martin
R
R
Thomson
L
L
Blizzard
A
A
Wood
M
M
Garry
V
V
Srikanth
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011153:Population; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*