Relationship between cognitive function and balance in a community-dwelling population in Japan

Figures & data

Table 1. Characteristics of subjects.

	Men (n = 79)	Women (n = 139)	p value
Age (years)	67.8 ± 5.8	67.1 ± 5.8	.402
Height (m)	1.65 ± 0.06	1.52 ± 0.05	.000
Weight (kg)	64.3 ± 8.6	52.0 ± 7.3	.000
BMI (kg/m^2)	23.7 ± 2.7	22.4 ± 3.0	.003
Education (years)	11.8 ± 2.3	11.4 ± 1.8	.151
Current smoking, %	17.7	4.3	.001
Current drinking, %	70.9	22.3	.000
Habit of exercise (≤week, %)	38.0	37.4	.934
MMSE (score)	28.5 ± 1.9	29.0 ± 1.3	.024
OLST (s)	62.2 ± 25.1	53.4 ± 23.1	.010
FRT (cm)	30.4 ± 5.5	30.1 ± 4.6	.685
Posturography
Eye open
Path length (cm)	117.5 ± 39.0	95.1 ± 28.8	.000
Eye closed
Path length (cm)	177.3 ± 64.3	134.9 ± 47.9	.000

BMI: body mass index; MMSE: mini-mental state examination; OLST: one leg standing time; FRT: functional reach test.

Values are mean ± standard deviation.

Table 2. Association between MMSE score and balance tests by four groups.

	MMSE score
	Men	Women
	Mean± SD	Mean± SD
OLST, (s)
Q1: <20	27.7 ± 2.5	28.3 ± 1.9
Q2: <40	27.4 ± 2.4	28.6 ± 1.8
Q3: <60	28.1 ± 2.1	29.0 ± 1.2
Q4: 60≤	28.8 ± 1.5	29.3 ± 1.0
p for trend	.105	.064
FRT, (cm)
Q1: <25	27.6 ± 2.2	28.5 ± 1.5
Q2: <30	28.4 ± 1.8	28.8 ± 1.4
Q3^: <35	28.5 ± 2.0	29.2 ± 1.3
Q4: 35≤	29.2 ± 1.1	29.6 ± 0.5
p for trend	.204	.157
Eye open path length, (cm)
Q1: <70	29.7 ± 0.5	29.2 ± 1.0
Q2: <110	28.5 ± 1.6	29.0 ± 1.3
Q3: <150	28.8 ± 1.6	28.7 ± 1.7
Q4: 150	27.4 ± 2.7	29.1 ± 1.1
p for trend	.022	.237
Eye closed path length, (cm)
Q1^: <125	29.2 ± 1.4	29.2 ± 1.0
Q2: <175	28.6 ± 1.6	28.9 ± 1.5
Q3: <225	28.5 ± 1.7	28.7 ± 1.8
Q4: 225≤	27.4 ± 2.5	28.7 ± 1.1
p for trend	.045	.845

MMSE: mini-mental state examination; SD: standard deviation; OLST: one leg standing time; FRT: functional reach test.

In every balance test, there was no significant difference in the MMSE score between any groups in both genders. But there was a statistically significant trend in only men that the more the MMSE score declined, the more the path length became longer with both eyes opened and closed.

Values are adjusted for age, BMI, education, current smoking, current drinking, exercise habit.

Table 3. Multiple regression with MMSE as a dependent variable.

	Men				Women
		β-coefficient	p value	R^2	β-coefficient	p value	R^2
Path length	Eye open	–0.244	.025	0.278	0.041	.650	0.122
	Eye closed	–0.251	.018	0.283	0.018	.839	0.121

BMI: body mass index; MMSE: mini-mental state examination.

There is significant negative association with MMSE score and path length with eyes opened and closed in men. However, there is no statistically significant association in women.

Values are adjusted for age, BMI, education, current smoking, current drinking, exercise habit.