Reducing Fall Risk with Combined Motor and Cognitive Training in Elderly Fallers

• DOI: 10.3390/brainsci7020019
• Publication Date: 2017-02-15T15:09:07Z
• Authors: Francesco Barban; Roberta Annicchia...; Matteo Melideo; Alessia Federici; Maria Lombardi; Simone Giuli; Claudia Ricci; Fulvia Adriano; Ivo Griffini; Manuel Silvestri; Massimo Chiusso; Sergio Neglia; Sergio Ariño-Blasco; Raquel Cuevas Perez; Yannis Dionyssiotis; Georgios Koumanakos; Milo Kovačeić; Nuria Montero-Fer...; Oscar Pino; Niels Boye; Ulises Cortés; Cristian Barrué; Atia Cortés; Peter Levene; Stelios Pantelopo...; Roberto Rosso; José Serra-Rexach; Angelo Sabatini; Carlo Caltagirone
• Keywords: Fear of falling; Fall prevention

Falling is a major clinical problem in elderly people, demanding effective solutions. At present, the only intervention motor training of balance and strength. Executive function-based (EFt) might be at preventing falls according to evidence showing relationship between executive functions gait abnormalities. The aim was assess effectiveness cognitive treatment developed within EU co-funded project I-DONT-FALL.In sample 481 people risk recruited this multicenter randomised controlled trial, (pure or mixed with EFt) 24 one-hour sessions delivered through an i-Walker non-motor EFt control condition) evaluated. Similarly, session training), touch-screen computer compared non-cognitive condition).Motor treatment, particularly when EFt, reduced significantly fear falling (F(1,478) = 6.786, p 0.009) although limited extent (ES -0.25) restricted period after intervention.This study suggests empowered by reducing falling.