BACKGROUND Cognitive processing plays a crucial role in the integration of sensory input and motor output that facilitates balance. However, whether balance ability in adulthood is influenced by cognitive pathways established in childhood is unclear, especially as no study has examined if these relationships change with age. We aimed to investigate associations between childhood cognition and age-related change in standing balance between mid and later life. METHODS Data on 2,380 participants from the MRC National Survey of Health and Development were included in analyses. Repeated measures multilevel models estimated the association between childhood cognition, assessed at age 15, and log-transformed balance time, assessed at ages 53, 60-64, and 69 using the one-legged stand with eyes closed. Adjustments were made for sex, death, attrition, anthropometric measures, health conditions, health behaviors, education, other indicators of socioeconomic position (SEP), and adult verbal memory. RESULTS In a sex-adjusted model, 1 standard deviation increase in childhood cognition was associated with a 13% (95% confidence interval: 10, 16; p < .001) increase in balance time at age 53, and this association got smaller with age (cognition × age interaction: p < .001). Adjustments for education, adult verbal memory, and SEP largely explained these associations. CONCLUSIONS Higher childhood cognition was associated with better balance performance in midlife, with diminishing associations with increasing age. The impact of adjustment for education, cognition and other indicators of SEP suggested a common pathway through which cognition is associated with balance across life. Further research is needed to understand underlying mechanisms, which may have important implications for falls risk and maintenance of physical capability.

中文翻译：

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童年认知和中年到晚年站立平衡表现与年龄相关的变化：来自英国出生队列的发现。


背景技术认知处理在促进平衡的感觉输入和运动输出的整合中起着至关重要的作用。然而，成年后的平衡能力是否受到童年时期建立的认知途径的影响尚不清楚，特别是因为没有研究检验这些关系是否随着年龄的增长而变化。我们的目的是调查儿童认知与中年和晚年站立平衡的年龄相关变化之间的关联。方法 MRC 国家健康与发展调查的 2,380 名参与者的数据纳入分析。重复测量多级模型估计了 15 岁时评估的儿童认知与 53、60-64 和 69 岁时使用闭眼单腿站立评估的对数转换平衡时间之间的关联。对性别、死亡、自然损耗、人体测量指标、健康状况、健康行为、教育、其他社会经济地位指标（SEP）和成人言语记忆进行了调整。结果 在性别调整模型中，儿童认知能力每增加 1 个标准差，53 岁时平衡时间就会增加 13%（95% 置信区间：10, 16；p < .001），并且这种关联随着年龄的增长而减小。年龄（认知 × 年龄交互作用：p < .001）。教育、成人言语记忆和 SEP 的调整在很大程度上解释了这些关联。结论 较高的儿童认知能力与中年较好的平衡表现相关，但随着年龄的增长，这种关联逐渐减弱。 SEP 的教育、认知和其他指标调整的影响表明认知与生活平衡之间有一个共同的途径。 需要进一步的研究来了解潜在的机制，这可能对跌倒风险和身体能力的维持产生重要影响。