title: The interplay between gait, falls and cognition: can cognitive therapy reduce fall risk?
abstract: In this article, we briefly summarize the incidence and significant consequences of falls among older adults, the insufficient effectiveness of commonly used multifactorial interventions and the evidence linking falls and cognitive function. Recent pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic studies that evaluated the effects of cognitive therapy on fall risk are reviewed. The results of this article illustrate the potential utility of multiple, diverse forms of cognitive therapy for reducing fall risk. The article also indicates that large-scale, randomized controlled trials are warranted and that additional research is needed to better understand the pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying the interplay between human mobility, fall risk and cognitive function. Nonetheless, we suggest that multimodality interventions that combine motor and cognitive therapy should, eventually, be incorporated into clinical practice to enable older adults and patients to move safer and with a reduced fall risk.
authors: Beit Rivka Geriatric Rehabilitation Center, Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Social Welfare & Health, University of Haifa, Israel.
authors: Orit
authors: O
authors: Segev-Jacubovski
authors: Talia
authors: T
authors: Herman
authors: Galit
authors: G
authors: Yogev-Seligmann
authors: Anat
authors: A
authors: Mirelman
authors: Nir
authors: N
authors: Giladi
authors: Jeffrey M
authors: JM
authors: Hausdorff
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans