Funções executivas e suas interferências no controle postural e na marcha de idosos

Abstract

The physiological aging process includes changes in the body systems that lead to a reduction in bodily functions which, alone or associated with chronic diseases, resulting in functional disability, with changes in gait, posture and balance, increased risk of falls, impaired independence, autonomy and quality of life. Several tests have been used to evaluate these functions. The change in executive function has a relation with the risk of falling, because it alters the response to sensory interpretation in the environment and increases the requirement for postural control. Therefore, the purpose of this narrative review was to find association of performance on tests of EF, and possible interference in postural control and gait in the elderly. The survey was conducted on MEDLINE, SciELO and BIREME, in the period 2000 to 2011, studies of elderly aged 65 years and healthy. Through this review it was concluded that elderly patients with poor performance on tests of EF also had some decline in postural control and gait. As interpretation of the data obtained in this study, we can say that the elderly can be beneficiate from interventions that uses at the same time executive functions and gait and balance training can generate important results on improving the quality gait and postural control in elderly.