A 12-week multimodal exercise program can improve physical and cognitive functioning risk factors for falls in community-dwelling older adults: preliminary results of a psychomotor intervention

Abstract

Introduction:The lack of speed of information processing, balance, strength and agility are seen as determinants factors for falls in older adults. A psychomotor intervention uses the body and ovement as mediators, relying on the prevention of cognitive, sensory, perceptive, emotional and affective deterioration, exploring the neuroplasticity. Therefore, we hypothesized that a multimodal exercise program including sensorimotor and neurocognitive exercises could decrease the risk of falls. Objectives:The aim of present study is to analyse the impact of a psychomotor exercise program on determinants factors for falls in community-dwelling older adults who were fallers or were at high risk of falling. Methods:Eighteen older adults aged 74.1 AE 5.3 years attended the psychomotor exercise program. Speed of information processing was assessed by Trail Making Test (TMT) A and B (s). Balance, agility and lower body strength were assessed by Fullerton Advanced Balance (FAB) Scale (p), Timed Up and Go (TUG) (s), and 30-Second chair stand test (rep), respectively. Results:Wilcoxon or T-Test comparisons showed improvements from baseline to post-intervention on speed of information processing (TMT-A: 90.4 AE 30.0 vs. 68.1 AE 29.2, p = 0.001; TMT-B: 252.0 AE 90.1 vs. 189.8 AE 104.3, p = 0.003), balance (FAB Scale: 26.0 AE 5.6 vs. 30.8 AE 4.8, p < 0.001), agility (TUG: 7.2 AE 1.3 vs. 6.5 AE 1.1, p = 0.001), and lower body strength (30-Second chair stand test: 12.1 AE 3.2 vs. 17.8 AE 4.0, p < 0.001). Conclusions:This preliminary results suggested that the psychomotor intervention program is effective to decreases the risk of falling by improving determinants risk factors of falling, namely speed of information processing, balance, agility and lower body strength. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03446352.

Musical and psychomotor interventions for cognitive, sensorimotor, and cerebral decline in patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment (COPE): a study protocol for a multicentric randomized controlled study

“…1). However, whole body sensorimotor function, balance, and body schema representation may improve more strongly following psychomotor interventions, compared to the music practice and the control group, as was shown for coordination training, Pilates and other body-mind approaches [120,122,123], and specifically for psychomotor training [58,124]. Therefore, scores on the Unipedal balance test, and the Laterality recognition test may be enhanced compared to the music group.…”

“…It may even retard dementias like Alzheimer's disease [55]. Although less acknowledged, cognitive and sensorimotor benefits also showed following non-aerobic exercises, like Baduanjin, Tai Chi, or psychomotor training [56][57][58], that instead involve slow non-aerobic movement. Yet this type of physical intervention seems better suited for frail older adults than aerobic exercise.…”

“…A 6-months Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) using Norwegian physical psychomotor therapy conducted in 105 adults (18-70 years old) [60] showed considerable improvement of health-related quality of life evaluated by questionnaires (physical functioning, general and mental health, emotional issues, social functioning, self-esteem, etc.). Notably, in healthy elderly, psychomotor interventions induced cognitive (processing speed, executive functioning, and attention) and physical benefits for gross motor control (improvements in balance, gait, and mobility), after only 10-12 weeks of training [58]. The latter is vital as fall risk increases in MCI patients [61].…”

“…Cognitive benefits such as reinforced processing speed, attention, and executive functions [58,59,120] but also emotion regulation [121] and visuospatial memory [120] may occur in this group, but we expect less strong benefits than in the music group for the weighted COGTEL score, individual subtests of the COGTEL [79,80], d2-R test [88,89], Trail Making tests [90], Go/No-Go [91], visual working memory (fMRI test) [92] and Clock Drawing test [93] (Secondary Outcomes no. 1).…”