Citation

Barban F, Annicchiarico R, Melideo M, Federici A, Lombardi MG, Giuli S, Ricci C, Adriano F, Griffini I, Silvestri M, Chiusso M, Neglia S, Ariño-Blasco S, Cuevas Perez R, Dionyssiotis Y, Koumanakos G, Kovačeić M, Montero-Fernández N, Pino O, Boye N, Cortés U, Barrué C, Cortés A, Levene P, Pantelopoulos S, Rosso R, Serra-Rexach JA, Sabatini AM, Caltagirone C. Brain Sci. 2017; 7(2): e7020019.

Affiliation

Systems Medicine Department, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome 00173, Italy. c.caltagirone@hsantalucia.it.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Switzerland Molecular Diversity Preservation International (MDPI) AG)

DOI

10.3390/brainsci7020019

PMID

28208604

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Falling is a major clinical problem in elderly people, demanding effective solutions. At present, the only effective intervention is motor training of balance and strength. Executive function-based training (EFt) might be effective at preventing falls according to evidence showing a relationship between executive functions and gait abnormalities. The aim was to assess the effectiveness of a motor and a cognitive treatment developed within the EU co-funded project I-DONT-FALL.

METHODS: In a sample of 481 elderly people at risk of falls recruited in this multicenter randomised controlled trial, the effectiveness of a motor treatment (pure motor or mixed with EFt) of 24 one-hour sessions delivered through an i-Walker with a non-motor treatment (pure EFt or control condition) was evaluated. Similarly, a 24 one-hour session cognitive treatment (pure EFt or mixed with motor training), delivered through a touch-screen computer was compared with a non-cognitive treatment (pure motor or control condition).

RESULTS: Motor treatment, particularly when mixed with EFt, reduced significantly fear of falling (F(1,478) = 6.786, p = 0.009) although to a limited extent (ES -0.25) restricted to the period after intervention.

CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests the effectiveness of motor treatment empowered by EFt in reducing fear of falling.

Language: en

Keywords

cognitive training; elderly; executive functions; fall risk; fear of falling; motor training