Postural Instability Is Associated with Brain Atrophy and Cognitive Impairment in the Elderly: The J-SHIPP Study

Background/Aims: Mobility impairment in older adults has been suggested to be a marker of subclinical structural and functional brain abnormalities. We investigated a possible association between static postural instability and brain abnormalities and cognitive decline. Methods: The study subjects were 390 community residents without definitive dementia (67 ± 7 years old) and 21 patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Brain atrophy was measured by MRI. Results: The mobility of the posturography-measured center of gravity (COG) was positively associated with the temporal horn area (THA; r = 0.260; p 40 s (n = 102) showed a significantly larger THA (22 ± 18 vs. 14 ± 11 × 10–2 cm2; p –2 cm2; p = 0.002). AD patients showed a more enlarged THA (78 ± 55 × 10–2 cm2). Subjects with cognitive decline showed a significantly shorter one-leg standing time (normal: 50 ± 17 s; MCI: 42 ± 21 s; AD: 18 ± 20s; p Conclusion: Reduced postural stability was an independent marker of brain atrophy and pathological cognitive decline in the elderly.