TY - JOUR
T1 - Reducing fall risk with combined motor and cognitive training in elderly fallers
AU - Barban, Francesco
AU - Annicchiarico, Roberta
AU - Melideo, Matteo
AU - Federici, Alessia
AU - Lombardi, Maria Giovanna
AU - Giuli, Simone
AU - Ricci, Claudia
AU - Adriano, Fulvia
AU - Griffini, Ivo
AU - Silvestri, Manuel
AU - Chiusso, Massimo
AU - Neglia, Sergio
AU - Ariño-Blasco, Sergio
AU - Perez, Raquel Cuevas
AU - Dionyssiotis, Yannis
AU - Koumanakos, Georgios
AU - Kovačeić, Milo
AU - Montero-Fernández, Nuria
AU - Pino, Oscar
AU - Boye, Niels
AU - Cortés, Ulises
AU - Barrué, Cristian
AU - Cortés, Atia
AU - Levene, Peter
AU - Pantelopoulos, Stelios
AU - Rosso, Roberto
AU - Serra-Rexach, José Antonio
AU - Sabatini, Angelo Maria
AU - Caltagirone, Carlo
PY - 2017/2/10
Y1 - 2017/2/10
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
KW - Cognitive training
KW - Elderly
KW - Executive functions
KW - Fall risk
KW - Fear of falling
KW - Motor training
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85012267012&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.3390/brainsci7020019
DO - 10.3390/brainsci7020019
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85012267012
VL - 7
JO - Brain Sciences
JF - Brain Sciences
SN - 2076-3425
IS - 2
M1 - 19
ER -