Altered visual–spatial attention to task-irrelevant information is associated with falls risk in older adults

• Published in: Neuropsychologia 2013-12, Vol.51 (14), p.3025-3032
• Main Authors: Nagamatsu, Lindsay S., Munkacsy, Michelle, Liu-Ambrose, Teresa, Handy, Todd C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accidental Falls; Adult. Elderly; Aged; Aging; Aging - psychology; Analysis of Variance; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - physiopathology; Biological and medical sciences; Developmental psychology; Electroencephalography; Event-related potentials (ERPs); Evoked Potentials, Visual - physiology; Falls risk; Female; Functional Laterality; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Male; Neuroimaging; Perceptual Disorders - physiopathology; Perceptual Disorders - psychology; Photic Stimulation; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Reaction Time - physiology; Space Perception - physiology; Visual Fields - physiology; Visual–spatial attention
• ISSN: 0028-3932; 1873-3514
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2013.10.002

Executive cognitive functions play a critical role in falls risk—a pressing health care issue in seniors. In particular, intact attentional processing is integral for safe mobility and navigation. However, the specific contribution of impaired visual–spatial attention in falls remains unclear. In this study, we examined the association between visual–spatial attention to task-irrelevant stimuli and falls risk in community-dwelling older adults. Participants completed a visual target discrimination task at fixation while task-irrelevant probes were presented in both visual fields. We assessed attention to left and right peripheral probes using event-related potentials (ERPs). Falls risk was determined using the valid and reliable Physiological Profile Assessment (PPA). We found a significantly positive association between reduced attentional facilitation, as measured by the N1 ERP component, and falls risk. This relationship was specific to probes presented in the left visual field and measured at ipsilateral electrode sites. Our results suggest that fallers exhibit reduced attention to the left side of visual space and provide evidence that impaired right hemispheric function and/or structure may contribute to falls. •Executive cognitive functions play important role in falls risk.•Reduced attentional processing associated with falls risk.•Impaired attention to the left side of visual space associated with falls risk.•Underlying issues with right hemisphere may contribute to falls.