title: Cognitive processing and body balance in elderly subjects with vestibular dysfunction.
abstract: Abnormal body balance and cognitive dysfunction may develop in elderly patients with chronic vestibular dysfunction.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the relationship between cognitive processing and body balance in elderly patients with chronic peripheral vestibular disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-six patients (> 60 years) with chronic peripheral vestibular dysfunction and dizziness for more than three months were enrolled. The tests for investigating body balance were: the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Dynamic Gait Index (DGI), Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT) Timed Up and Go Test modified (TUGTm); the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), Test Clock (RT,) and Verbal Fluency Test (VF) were applied for assessing cognition.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age was 69.03 years (SD=6.21 years); most were female (82.9%). There was a significant negative correlation between the MMSE and the TUGT (ρ=-0.312; p=0.01), MMSE and TUGTm (ρ=-0.306; p=0.01), FV and TUGT (ρ=-0.346; p=0.01), and FV and TUGTm (ρ=-0.536; p=0.01); there was a significant positive correlation between the TR and BBS (ρ=0.343; p=0.01), TR and DGI (ρ=0.298; p=0.01), FV and BBS (ρ=0.299; p=0.01), and FV and DGI (ρ=0.306; p=0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elderly patients with chronic peripheral vestibular disease and worse performance in body balance tests have functional impairment in cognitive skills.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Bandeirante de São Paulo-UNIBAN, Brazil.
authors.forename: Giovanna Cristina dos Santos
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Caixeta
authors.forename: Flávia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Doná
authors.forename: Juliana Maria
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gazzola
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004244:Dizziness / Q000209:etiology; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D004856:Postural Balance; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D015837:Vestibular Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D014724:Vestibular Function Tests