Assessing Cognitive Function with Standing Balance

Approximately 19% of adults over 50 live with cognitive impairment [1]. Whilst this is usually diagnosed with memory tests like the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), this can feel stressful to some people (Figure 1). This study looked at whether a simple balance test in the natural stance could improve current testing methods for detecting cognitive impairment in health facilities.

In this study, 124 older adults (age 74.4 ± 6.6 y) completed a standing balance test using a force platform with eyes open and closed (Figure 2), and a 10-minute memory test (MoCA). Fifty-six (45.2%) participants were cognitively normal (MoCA ≥ 26) and 68 (54.8%) were cognitively impaired (MoCA < 26). Mann-Whitney U tests were used to explore if balance could differentiate between different categories of the MoCA.