Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2019 Aug;34(8):1275-1282. doi: 10.1002/gps.5133. Epub 2019 May 10.
Fear of falling (FoF) may be an early marker of decline in global cognitive functioning, but associations with specific domains of cognitive functioning are unclear. The aim was to examine associations between FoF and 4-year decline in memory, processing speed, and executive functioning in adults aged 50 years and older.
Data were from 5174 participants (mean age = 62.6 ± 8.9 years, range = 50-91, 54.5% female) in The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, a population-based study.
FoF was self-reported in 2009 to 2011. Immediate and delayed recall, Colour Trails 1 and 2, choice reaction time, sustained attention to response task, and verbal fluency were measured in 2009 to 2011 and 2014 to 2015. Prospective associations between FoF and domains of cognitive functioning were examined using linear mixed modelling. Adjustment was made for demographic and health factors. Interactions with age were examined.
In 2009 to 2011, 20.6% of participants reported FoF. No statistically significant interaction of FoF with age was found for any of the associations (P ≥ .06). Participants with FoF had greater decline on delayed recall (B = -0.19; 95% CI, -0.32 to -0.06), verbal fluency (B = -0.52; 95% CI, -0.88 to -0.18); and the ln-transformed scores for the Colour Trails 1 test (B = -0.04; 95% CI, -0.07 to -0.01) and the Colour Trails 2 test (B = -0.04; 95% CI, -0.06 to -0.02) than participants without FoF. No statistically significant associations were found for any of the other outcomes.
FoF may be an indicator of decline in domains of cognitive functioning, particularly those related to executive function and processing speed. However, studies with longer follow-up and/or higher average age are required to confirm this.
对跌倒恐惧（Fear of falling，FoF）可能是整体认知功能下降的早期标志，但与特定认知功能领域的相关性尚不清楚。本研究旨在探讨 FoF 与 50 岁及以上成年人在 4 年内记忆、处理速度和执行功能下降之间的相关性。
数据来自基于人群的爱尔兰老龄化纵向研究（The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing）的 5174 名参与者（平均年龄 62.6±8.9 岁，范围 50-91 岁，54.5%为女性）。
2009 年至 2011 年报告 FoF。2009 年至 2011 年和 2014 年至 2015 年测量即时和延迟回忆、色连线测试 1 和 2、选择反应时、持续注意力任务和言语流畅性。使用线性混合模型检验 FoF 与认知功能领域之间的前瞻性关联。调整了人口统计学和健康因素。检验了与年龄的相互作用。
2009 年至 2011 年，20.6%的参与者报告 FoF。对于任何关联，均未发现 FoF 与年龄之间有统计学显著的交互作用（P≥.06）。有 FoF 的参与者在延迟回忆（B=-0.19；95%置信区间，-0.32 至 -0.06）、言语流畅性（B=-0.52；95%置信区间，-0.88 至 -0.18）和色连线测试 1 的 ln 转换分数（B=-0.04；95%置信区间，-0.07 至 -0.01）和色连线测试 2 的 ln 转换分数（B=-0.04；95%置信区间，-0.06 至 -0.02）方面的下降幅度大于没有 FoF 的参与者。对于其他结果，均未发现有统计学显著的关联。
FoF 可能是认知功能领域下降的一个指标，特别是与执行功能和处理速度相关的领域。然而，需要更长时间的随访和/或更高平均年龄的研究来证实这一点。
