Sensory Integration and Cognitive Motor Interference of Postural Control in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Literature Review

Older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) have a higher risk for falls than cognitively healthy older adults. Risk factors for the increased risk for falls includes impaired postural control. The purpose of this literature review is to explore the literature examining the sensory strategies and cognitive processes of postural control in older adults with MCI. We included research papers examining sensory manipulations and cognitive motor interference on postural outcomes during static balance conditions between older adults with and without MCI utilizing instrumented assessments. Results of this review are mixed. While some research suggests older adults with MCI demonstrate differences in postural-sway outcome measures compared to older adults without MCI during static balance conditions with different sensory manipulations, this is not universal among all studies included in this review. Additional research suggests older adults with MCI demonstrate differences in postural-sway outcome measures for single- and dual-task motor performance and differences in single- and dual-task cognitive performance, but some studies included in this review found no group differences. While there is some evidence suggesting older adults with MCI demonstrate differences in postural-sway measures with sensory manipulations and cognitive motor interference on postural outcomes during static balance conditions compared to cognitively healthy older adults, results of this review are inconclusive. Future research is needed to understand postural control strategies with altered sensory input and cognitive motor interference in older adults with MCI during static balance conditions, which can enhance the effectiveness of fall prevention programs and reduce the future risk of falls.