Fear-related visual stimuli do not promote internal focus of attention in older adults.

BACKGROUND: The influence of internal focus (IF) on postural balance needs to be determined when assessing fall risk in older adults. Moreover, the mechanism through which IF is triggered should be elucidated. RESEARCH QUESTION: Does fear unrelated to threats to postural balance modulate IF during postural control? METHODS: The participants were 16 community-dwelling older adults. We generated visual stimuli for neutral and fear conditions using the International Affective Picture System. Participants were assessed for postural control while standing on a stabilometer and looking at projected images. The IF allocated to postural control during task was assessed immediately after the task using the Conscious Movement Processing subscale of the Movement-Specific Reinvestment Scale (MSRS-CMP). Sympathetic activity was assessed using the mean low-frequency/high-frequency ratio (LF/HF), and posture was evaluated using the root mean square area (RMS-A), anteroposterior mean power frequency (MPF-AP), mediolateral MPF, and co-contraction index. Differences (Δ) in the MSRS-CMP, RMS-A and MPF between the neutral/fear conditions and control condition were calculated. Each index was also compared among the control, neutral, and fear conditions. The correlations between ΔMSRS-CMP and postural measures were evaluated. Equivalence tests were conducted to determine whether change of IF was different among conditions. RESULTS: The MSRS-CMP score did not differ significantly among conditions; equivalence was observed. The LF/HF and MPF-AP in the fear condition were higher than in the other conditions. The RMS-A in the fear condition was lower than in the neutral condition. ΔMSRS-CMP and ΔMPF-AP were significantly negatively correlated. SIGNIFICANCE: The results of this study suggest that feelings of fear affect postural control but not the IF of attention. Taken together with previous research, the findings of this study suggest that consideration of the fear-inducing context may be useful in assessments of, and interventions for, older adults with a fall risk.

Differences in the Relationships Between Muscle Strength, Muscle Mass, Balance Function, and Quality of Life for Middle-Aged and Older Breast Cancer Survivors.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in muscle strength, muscle mass, balance function, and quality of life (QOL) among middle-aged breast cancer survivors (BCSs) and older BCSs. METHODS: The study included 53 middle-aged (<65 years old) BCSs and 49 older (≥65 years old) BCSs. Muscle strength was evaluated via handgrip and knee extensor strength, and muscle mass was assessed using a body composition test. Balance function was assessed using the Timed Up and Go test and the body sway test. QOL was assessed using the Medical Outcome Study 36-item Short-Form Health Survey. RESULTS: The older BCSs had significantly lower right grip strength, right knee extension strength, and muscle mass (P < .05) than the middle-aged BCSs. In addition, the body sway test showed that older BCSs had a significant increase in the length of center of pressure compared to middle-aged BCSs (P < .05). Older BCSs showed significantly lower physical functioning subscales in QOL compared to middle-aged BCSs (P < .05). The associations among muscle strength, muscle mass and QOL were more significantly observed in the older BCSs (P < .05). Furthermore, a significant correlation between QOL and balance function was observed in the older BCSs, but not in the middle-aged BCSs (P < .05). CONCLUSION: There may be associations among muscle strength, muscle mass, balance and QOL in older BCSs, but not in middle-aged BCSs. We believe that the findings of this study will be relevant in the context of planning rehabilitation for older BCSs.

Relationship between balance function and QOL in cancer survivors and healthy subjects.

ABSTRACT: A previous study reported that cancer survivors exhibit decreased postural stability compared to age-matched controls. Another study showed that cancer survivors have a lower quality of life (QOL) compared to healthy subjects, and there was a significant relationship between muscle strength and QOL in cancer survivors. We aimed to investigate differences in the associations between balance function and QOL in cancer survivors and healthy subjects.Forty-one cancer survivors and 33 healthy subjects were included. Balance function was evaluated using the timed up and go test, and body sway was tested using a force platform. QOL was assessed using the medical outcome study 36-item short-form health survey.Cancer survivors exhibited significantly higher timed up and go and lower QOL than that of healthy subjects (P < .05). There was a significant association between body sway and QOL (P < .05) among cancer survivors. However, healthy subjects had subscales for QOL related to the body sway test parameters more frequently than cancer survivors (P < .05).Cancer survivors' balance function may have little effect on QOL, unlike in healthy subjects.

Assessment of the Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test, Timed Up and Go test, and body sway test between cancer survivors and healthy participants.

BACKGROUND: Cancer survivors experience late and long-term effects of treatment; also, the disease itself might be responsible for persisting functional impairments. The purpose of this study was to investigate muscle strength, balance function using the Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test and Timed Up and Go test with single and cognitive dual tasks and body sway in breast cancer survivors and healthy women and non-breast cancer survivors and healthy participants. METHODS: Twenty-six cancer survivors and 19 healthy participants were assessed for grip and knee extension strength with the Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test, Timed Up and Go, and body sway test performance. FINDINGS: Breast cancer survivors had significantly lower hand grip strength (p < .05) and Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test scores than healthy women (p < .05). Additionally, in breast cancer survivors, hand grip strength had a significant relationship with Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test and Timed Up and Go scores (p < .05) but had no relationship with the total center of pressure length. Hand grip strength and Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test scores were not significantly different in non-breast cancer survivors and healthy participants. In non-breast cancer survivors, knee extension strength had a significant relationship with the Timed Up and Go scores (p < .05). INTERPRETATION: The relationship between muscle strength and balance function may be characterized by the different diagnoses in cancer survivors. The current findings showed the changes in balance function and muscle strength among cancer survivors.

Effect of Eye-Object Distance on Body Sway during Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation.

Gazing at objects at a near distance (small eye-object distance) can reduce body sway. However, whether body sway is regulated by movement in the mediolateral or anteroposterior direction remains unclear. Galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) can induce body tilting in the mediolateral or anteroposterior direction. This study examined the directionality of the eye-object distance effect, using body-tilting GVS manipulations. Ten healthy subjects (aged 21.1 ± 0.3 years) stood on a force plate covered with a piece of foamed rubber and either closed their eyes or gazed at a marker located 0.5 m, 1.0 m, or 1.5 m in front of them. The GVS polarities were set to evoke rightward, forward, and backward body tilts. To compare the effects of eye-object distance in the mediolateral and anteroposterior directions, the root mean square (RMS) of the center of pressure (COP) without GVS was subtracted from the COP RMS during GVS. For swaying in the mediolateral direction, significant visual condition-related differences were found during rightward and forward GVS (p < 0.05). Thus, reductions in mediolateral body sway are more evident for smaller eye-object distances during rightward GVS. It would be appropriate to use body-tilting GVS to detect the directionality of the eye-object distance effect.

Differences in Balance Function Between Cancer Survivors and Healthy Subjects: A Pilot Study.

Older adults who have survived cancer experience significantly more falls compared with healthy adults. Adult cancer survivors may also have a lower balance function than healthy adults. We examined muscle strength and balance function among 19 cancer survivors and 14 healthy subjects. The mean age of the cancer survivors was 51.5 ± 11.2 years; 6 men and 13 women. Cancer diagnoses included breast cancer, retroperitoneal sarcoma, acute leukemia, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, thyroid cancer, Ewing's sarcoma, and tongue cancer. The mean age of healthy subjects was 47.4 ± 14 years; 3 men, 11 women. Muscle strength was assessed using hand grip and knee extensor strength tests. Balance function was evaluated using the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, and body sway was tested using a force platform. No significant differences were found with respect to right and left grip strength or right and left knee extension strength between the 2 groups. A significantly higher TUG time was observed in cancer survivors than in healthy subjects ( P < .05). With eyes open, the area of the center of pressure was significantly larger in cancer survivors than in healthy subjects ( P < .05). Similarly, the length per area was significantly lower both with eyes open and closed for cancer survivors than for healthy subjects ( P < .05). TUG was significantly correlated with muscle strength in both groups ( P < .05). However, no body sway parameters were related to muscle strength in either group. Cancer survivors had lower balance function that might not have been related to muscle strength. Cancer survivors should be evaluated for balance function as there is a potential for impairment. The findings of this study will be relevant for planning the prevention of falls for cancer survivors.

The effects of various visual conditions on trunk control during ambulation in chronic post stroke patients.

Downward gazing is commonly observed among patients after a stroke during standing or walking as they struggle to maintain equilibrium. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of fixed gazing and downward gazing on trunk control ability during gait. Sixteen subjects after a stroke (age: 51.3±4.9years) and seven healthy subjects (age: 65.1±3.4years) participated in this study. Participants walked 10m at a comfortable speed while they faced forward (no gaze point), gazed forward (with a fixed gaze point), gazed downward, and gazed downward while concealing their legs. Trunk acceleration was measured using tri-axial accelerometers attached to the back of the upper (C7 spinous process) and lower (L3 spinous process) trunk. The coefficient of attenuation (CoA) of acceleration at the trunk was computed to assess trunk control ability. Results in the stroke group showed that the CoA during fixed-point and downward gazing was better than that while facing forward with no gaze point (p<0.001). In the stroke group, the CoA during gazing downward with their legs concealed was worse than that during downward gazing. Our findings indicate that patients after a stroke might use visual information for reducing their neck oscillation (C7) during fixed-point and downward gazing. Our results indicate that the visual information during downward gazing might work the same as during fixed-point gazing.

Balance function in patients who had undergone allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

A previous study reported a 45% incidence of falling among allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) patients during hospitalisation. We investigated balance and physical function in allo-HSCT patients. Thirty patients (18 men and 12 women) who underwent allo-HSCT between February 2013 and September 2014 were included in this study. Patients were evaluated for up to 3 weeks before and 7 weeks after transplantation. Balance was evaluated using the Timed Up and Go test (TUG) and length of centre of pressure (CoP). Physical function was assessed using hand-grip strength, knee-extensor strength tests, and the 6 min walk test (6MWT). TUG and length of CoP were significantly increased following HSCT (P<0.01). Hand-grip strength, knee-extensor strength, and the 6MWT score decreased significantly after allo-HSCT (P<0.01). TUG and length of CoP were negatively correlated with hand grip and knee-extensor strength (P≤0.05). The allo-HSCT patients in this study had worsened dynamic and static movements of the CoP after transplantation as well as decline of physical function. Rehabilitation staff, nurses, and physicians should recognize the decreased balance function of patients who have undergone allo-HSCT.

Influence of gaze distance and downward gazing on postural sway in hemiplegic stroke patients.

Gaze distance and head flexion suppress postural sway in healthy subjects. However, the effects of these factors on stroke patients have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of gaze distance and downward gazing on postural sway in stroke patients. We examined 15 stroke patients and 14 elderly controls. Postural sway was measured in the subjects under the following 5 conditions: eyes fixed forward on a marker located 600 cm ahead (600-cm condition); eyes fixed forward on a marker located 150 cm ahead (150-cm condition); eyes fixed downward (downward condition); the subject facing straight ahead but with eyes closed (closed-forward condition); and the subject facing downward but with eyes closed (closed-downward condition). The root mean squares of the anteroposterior (A-P RMS) and the mediolateral (M-L RMS) directions were determined. The results showed that the short gaze distance decreased the M-L RMS in both the stroke patients and controls (p < 0.001, r = 0.66; p = 0.024, r = 0.43, respectively). In the control group, the downward condition increased the M-L RMS when compared with the 600-cm condition (p = 0.011, r = 0.48). The downward condition decreased the A-P and M-L RMS in the stroke patients when compared with the 600-cm condition (A-P RMS: p < 0.001; r = 0.66, M-L RMS: p = 0.001; r = 0.59). Our results showed that the short gaze distance decreased postural sway in both groups, and downward gazing decreased it only in the stroke group.

The effects of one-time hoof trimming on blood biochemical composition, milk yield, and milk composition in dairy cows.

Although not scientifically proven, hoof trimming has been empirically shown to increase milk yields in healthy dairy cows. In this study, we examined the effect of one-time hoof trimming on blood biochemical composition, milk yield, and milk composition in healthy dairy cows. Eleven cows in the mid to late lactation period that were clinically fit and without hoof disease were subjected to hoof trimming, and metabolic profile tests and dairy herd improving tests were performed before and three weeks after the hoof trimming. The metabolic profiles showed changes in albumin, blood urea nitrogen, ammonia, glucose, and beta-hydroxybutyric acid as a result of the hoof trimming. This was indicated by the fact that the cows began to intake more roughage after hoof trimming than prior to hoof trimming, and rumen fermentation became stable. There was no change in milk yield after trimming. However, the milk fat and milk protein compositions were significantly increased after trimming.