Impaired set shifting is associated with previous falls in individuals with and without Parkinson's disease.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) are at increased risk for falls, which lead to substantial morbidity and mortality. Understanding the motor and non-motor impairments associated with falls in PD is critical to informing prevention strategies. In addition to motor symptoms, individuals with PD exhibit non-motor deficits, including impaired set shifting, an aspect of executive function related to cognitive flexibility that can be measured quickly with the Trailmaking Test.

Research question

To determine whether impaired set shifting is associated with fall history in people with and without PD.

Methods

We examined associations between set shifting, PD status, and fall history (≥1 falls in the previous 6 months) in data from PD patients (n = 65) with

SUBMITTER: McKay JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5960619 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature