title: Cognitive predictors of balance in Parkinson's disease.
abstract: Postural instability is one of the most incapacitating symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) and appears to be related to cognitive deficits. This study aims to determine the cognitive factors that can predict deficits in static and dynamic balance in individuals with PD. A sociodemographic questionnaire characterized 52 individuals with PD for this work. The Trail Making Test, Rule Shift Cards Test, and Digit Span Test assessed the executive functions. The static balance was assessed using a plantar pressure platform, and dynamic balance was based on the Timed Up and Go Test. The results were statistically analysed using SPSS Statistics software through linear regression analysis. The results show that a statistically significant model based on cognitive outcomes was able to explain the variance of motor variables. Also, the explanatory value of the model tended to increase with the addition of individual and clinical variables, although the resulting model was not statistically significant The model explained 25-29% of the variability of the Timed Up and Go Test, while for the anteroposterior displacement it was 23-34%, and for the mediolateral displacement it was 24-39%. From the findings, we conclude that the cognitive performance, especially the executive functions, is a predictor of balance deficit in individuals with PD.
authors.affiliation: a Escola Superior da Tecnologia de Saúde do Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Área Científica de Terapia Ocupacional, Centro de Estudos de Movimento e Actividade Humana , Vila Nova de Gaia , Portugal ;|b Faculdade de Engenharia , Universidade do Porto , Porto , Portugal ;
authors.forename: Ângela
authors.initials: Â
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.affiliation: c Escola Superior da Tecnologia de Saúde do Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Área Científica de Física, Centro de Estudos de Movimento e Actividade Humana , Vila Nova de Gaia , Portugal ;
authors.forename: Andreia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mendes
authors.affiliation: a Escola Superior da Tecnologia de Saúde do Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Área Científica de Terapia Ocupacional, Centro de Estudos de Movimento e Actividade Humana , Vila Nova de Gaia , Portugal ;
authors.forename: Nuno
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.affiliation: d Instituto de Ciência e Inovação em Engenharia Mecânica e Engenharia Industrial, Departamento de Engenharia Mecânica , Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade do Porto , Porto , Portugal.
authors.forename: João Manuel R S
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Tavares
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000150:complications*; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Parkinson; balance; cognition; displacement; predictors