Aging is an inevitable outcome of life that, eventually, is accompanied by declines in health and body functionality. One main result of these changes is a loss of balance that leads to an increased rate of falls. Many experiments have attempted to understand age-related changes in postural control. Recent advances in mobile brain imaging introduce a new possibility: to examine the neural control of balance and how it changes with age.

When we stand or walk, our minds usually aren’t idle. We focus our attention on a secondary task, such as a conversation, or we focus on various thoughts. My previous research suggests that what we place our focus on can influence our stability. I found that focusing attention away from the task of standing can improve stability in healthy young and older individuals.

My objective is to examine the effect that attentional focus has on postural control while examining brain activity to gain a better understanding of underlying processes and how they change with advancing age. I will use electroencephalography (EEG) to examine brain activity during quiet standing while changing the focus of attention in young and older adults.

This project will reveal new information about which brain structures contribute to reduced balance performance in older adults. The results will later be used to find ways to improve balance and reduce the risk of falls in this population.

Panel Writeup

Canada’s aging population

Approximately 30 per cent of older adults over 65 years of age fall every year, and this proportion increases with age. These falls are a leading cause of injury-related hospitalization in this group.

The Government of Canada predicted that by 2030, 23 per cent of Canadians will be 65 years of age or older, compared to 15.6 per cent in 2014. This demographic shift increases the importance of understanding age-related declines in motor behavior and finding and implementing ways to delay these changes.