Measuring the level of brain activity in healthy older adults while they are walking can predict their risk of falling, suggests a study led by an Indian-origin scientist.
The new study found that people whose brain activity level increases when carrying out any other task while walking were more likely than others to fall, Verghese added.In addition, changes in brain activity that influence walking may be present long before people exhibit any sign of walking difficulty, he added.For the study, the team involved 166 older adults with an average age of 75. All participants were healthy, with no signs of dementia, disability, or problems with walking.The researchers measured their brain activity, as they performed three different tasks: walking at a normal pace, reciting alternate letters of the alphabet while standing and walking at a normal pace while simultaneously reciting alternate letters of the alphabet.When the participants' were walking while reciting alternate letters of the alphabet, they showed elevated levels of brain activity, which signalled an increased risk of falling in the future.Each incremental increase in brain activity was associated with a 32 per cent increased risk of falls, the researchers explained, in the paper published in the journal Neurology.(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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The new study found that people whose brain activity level increases when carrying out any other task while walking were more likely than others to fall, Verghese added.In addition, changes in brain activity that influence walking may be present long before people exhibit any sign of walking difficulty, he added.For the study, the team involved 166 older adults with an average age of 75. All participants were healthy, with no signs of dementia, disability, or problems with walking.The researchers measured their brain activity, as they performed three different tasks: walking at a normal pace, reciting alternate letters of the alphabet while standing and walking at a normal pace while simultaneously reciting alternate letters of the alphabet.When the participants' were walking while reciting alternate letters of the alphabet, they showed elevated levels of brain activity, which signalled an increased risk of falling in the future.Each incremental increase in brain activity was associated with a 32 per cent increased risk of falls, the researchers explained, in the paper published in the journal Neurology.(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)