@article{ref1,
title="Impaired choice stepping in response to a visual-spatial attention demanding task among older adults at high risk of falling: a pilot study",
journal="Aging clinical and experimental research",
year="2012",
author="Uemura, Kazuki and Yamada, Minoru and Nagai, Koutatsu and Tanaka, Buichi and Mori, Shuhei",
volume="24",
number="4",
pages="361-364",
abstract="BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Impairment in visual-spatial attention can cause difficulties in planning and guiding movements, leading to falls in older adults .The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between visual-spatial attention during movement and the risk of falling in older adults. METHODS: Thirty-six elderly volunteers (mean age, 73.2±6.8 years) performed a rapid choice stepping task in response to flanker task stimuli. Step errors in congruent or incongruent conditions were recorded as a measure of the accuracy of choice stepping. Four clinical measurements were also assessed: 10-min walking time, timed up and go test, functional reach test and 5- chair stand test. RESULTS: High-risk (HR) participants showed a significantly higher rate of step errors in the incongruent condition than low-risk (LR) ones (HR: 55.5%, LR: 18.5%; p =0.032). Step error in the incongruent condition [odds ratio (OR)=5.5; p=0.041] was the only independent variable which remained significant in the final step of the logistic regression model. CONCLUSION: Impaired choice stepping in response to a visual-spatial attention-demanding task was associated with the risk of falling in older adults.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1594-0667",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}