Key result
Elevated serum anticholinergic activity was associated with a significant slowing in both gait speed and simple response time in elderly community volunteers.
Why the study?
Does elevated serum anticholinergic activity reduce psychomotor performance in elderly community volunteers?
Observational
Does elevated serum anticholinergic activity reduce psychomotor performance in elderly community volunteers?
Cumulative anticholinergic burden is associated with decreased psychomotor performance, potentially contributing to increased fall risk in the elderly.
May support minimizing anticholinergic exposure to preserve gait in older adults; leaves open causal effects on falls.
BACKGROUND: Medications prescribed to elderly persons often have an anticholinergic effect, as do many commonly used over-the-counter drugs. Anticholinergic medications are known to produce psychomotor slowing, especially in older persons. METHODS: The present study examined whether the cumulative anticholinergic load present in the serum of community volunteers was associated with decrements on tests of psychomotor performance (gait speed and simple manual response time) known to predict falls in elderly persons. RESULTS: Serum anticholinergic activity (SAA) was relatively low in this group; however, an elevated SAA was associated with a significant slowing in both gait speed and simple response time. CONCLUSION: Cumulative anticholinergic burden may be one of the factors contributing to an increased risk of falls in the older population.
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Nebes et al. (2007) conducted an observational in Elderly persons. Serum anticholinergic activity (SAA) was evaluated on Psychomotor performance (gait speed and simple manual response time). Elevated serum anticholinergic activity was associated with a significant slowing in both gait speed and simple response time in elderly community volunteers.
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