title: Longitudinal Analysis of Physical Performance, Functional Status, Physical Activity, and Mood in Relation to Executive Function in Older Adults Who Fall.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine whether good executive function (EF; the cognitive processes important for goal-oriented and controlled behavior) at baseline and maintenance of EF over time predict maintenance of physical performance, functional status, physical activity, and mood over a 1-year period, and conversely, to examine whether baseline functioning in these noncognitive domains predicts maintenance of EF over the same period of time.
  
  
  METHODS
  12-month prospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Vancouver Falls Prevention Clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  Community-dwelling older adults (N = 199; mean age 81.6 ± 6.5; 63% female) referred to the clinic after a fall.
  
  
  METHODS
  At each time point, structural equation modeling created a latent EF variable from performance on five EF tasks. Physical performance (physiological falls risk and gait speed), instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), physical activity, and depressive symptoms were also assessed at each time point.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Higher baseline EF predicted decreases in depressive symptoms (P = .005) and maintenance of IADLs (P = .006) from baseline to follow-up. Improvements in EF correlated with increases in gait speed (P = .005) and physical activity (P = .03) and with the maintenance of IADLs (P = .002) over follow-up. All effects were independent of demographic characteristics and global cognitive function. Baseline performance in the noncognitive domains did not predict changes in EF.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In older fallers, EF is a marker of resiliency in several noncognitive domains and should therefore be assessed. Furthermore, interventions to improve EF should be tested in older fallers with EF deficits.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.|Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.|Centre for Hip Health and Mobility, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Best
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.|Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation, University of British Columbia and Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Jennifer C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.|Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.|Centre for Hip Health and Mobility, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liu-Ambrose
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology*; D000368:Aged / Q000502:physiology*; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001955:British Columbia; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology
keywords: executive function; mood; older fallers; physical activity; physical functioning