Brain Function and Falls

Ageing is associated with a wide range of changes in the brain, including grey and white matter atrophy, as well as markers of small vessel disease such as white matter hyperintensities, microbleeds, and infarcts. Furthermore, beta-amyloid plaques and tau (the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease) are evident in the brain years before symptoms of dementia appear. A brain free of disease, with intact grey and white matter, is essential for the fast and efficient operation of the neural networks during daily life activities, and therefore also in reducing the risk of falling.