Seniors Risk of Falling May Be Reduced

A recent research study shows that taking methylphenidate could help older people reduce their risk of falling by sharpening their mental function, Israeli researchers report. Methylphenidate is used to treat attention deficit disorder like the drug Ritalin.

Falls are a leading cause of injury and death among older people. It is estimated that half of elderly people who are hospitalized after a fall will be alive a year later, notes a report in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

To investigate whether methylphenidate might offer a potential strategy for fall prevention, the researchers had 26 healthy, independently living seniors complete tests of fall risk and executive function before and after taking a single dose of the drug.After taking the drug, the participants completed the “Timed Up and Go” test significantly more quickly. In the test, a person gets up from a chair, walks for three meters at a normal pace, turns around and walks back, and sits back down. Fall risk rises with the amount of time it takes a person to complete the test.

Source: reuters.com