Abstract Context Aging causes a progressive worsening in postural balance, affecting functional independence and increasing the risk of falls. Objective The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of aging on the static balance in women from 50-years to 89-years of age. Design This was a cross-sectional study, with 400 irregularly active women were evaluated and grouped by age: Group 6thdecade (age 50 to 59) ‒ 58 participants; Group 7thdecade (age 60 to 69) ‒ 214 participants; Group 8thdecade (age 70 to 79) ‒ 92 participants; Group 9thdecade (age 80 to 89) ‒ 36 participants. Postural balance was evaluated using a portable force platform in a standard standing position, with Eyes Open (EO) and Eyes Closed (EC). Results In the two measurement conditions, the elderly women in Group 9thdecade presented mediolateral displacement and range, and mean velocity greater than the women's values in Groups 6thand 7thdecade. In the EO e EC situation, the displacement was higher in the elderly Group 9thdecade compared to younger groups. Group 8thhas a mean velocity greater than Group 6thdecade in the EO situation. Conclusions Posturography showed a decline in postural balance with advancing age, suggesting that the 9thdecade of life is a borderline age to this detriment due to an increase in postural instability.

RESUMO Objetivo Caracterizar o perfil linguístico de adultos e idosos com Síndrome de Down (SD) através da Bateria Arizona para Desordens da Comunicação em Demência (ABCD). Método Foram avaliados trinta indivíduos adultos e idosos com SD, através da bateria cognitiva MoCA, 4 escalas funcionais (Pfeffer, Lawton-IADL, Katz-IADL e IQCODE), e a bateria ABCD, que avalia os domínios Estado Mental, Memória Episódica, Expressão Linguística, Compreensão Linguística e Construção Visuoespacial. Os escores obtidos pelos indivíduos na ABCD foram correlacionados aos obtidos na escala Lawton-IADL. Resultados Os indivíduos com SD apresentaram desempenho bastante inferior ao de adultos e idosos cognitivamente normais descrito na literatura brasileira. Na ausência de estudos semelhantes em nosso meio, comparamos os resultados aos de idosos com Doença de Alzheimer (DA), verificando que o desempenho da população com SD é equiparável ao de indivíduos com DA, embora os primeiros apresentem melhores escores em provas de memória episódica imediata. Houve correlação positiva significante entre os escores obtidos na escala Lawton-IADL e os escores dos construtos Estado Mental, Memória Episódica, Compreensão Linguística e Total da ABCD. Conclusão A bateria ABCD é um instrumento útil na avaliação de adultos e idosos com SD e o desempenho dos indivíduos nesta bateria apresenta correlação com índices de funcionalidade. Este estudo é pioneiro em nosso meio e mostra a necessidade de melhor caracterização das habilidades linguísticas de indivíduos com SD, a fim de permitir a elaboração de estratégias de estímulo de suas habilidades comunicativas a fim de proporcionar maior inserção social desta população.

ABSTRACT Purpose To characterize the linguistic profile of adults and elderly with Down Syndrome (DS) using the Arizona Battery for Communication Disorders of Dementia (ABCD). Methods Thirty adult individuals with DS were evaluated through the MoCA cognitive battery, four functional scales (Pfeffer, Lawton-IADL, Katz-IADL and IQCODE) and the ABCD battery, which evaluates Mental State, Episodic Memory, Linguistic Expression, Linguistic Comprehension and Visuospatial Construction. The scores obtained by the individuals in the ABCD were correlated to those obtained on the Lawton-IADL scale. Results Individuals with DS had significantly lower performance than cognitively normal adults and elderly as described in Brazilian studies. Due to the lack of similar studies in our country, we compared our results to those of elderly with Alzheimer's Disease (AD), verifying that the performance of the DS population is similar to that of AD patients, although the former presented better scores on episodic immediate memory tests. There was a significant positive correlation between the scores obtained in the Lawton-IADL and those on the constructs Mental State, Episodic Memory, Linguistic Comprehension and Total ABCD. Conclusion The ABCD battery is a useful tool in the evaluation of adults and elderly with DS and the performance of individuals in this battery correlates with indices of functionality. This is a pioneer study in Brazil, and it points to the need for a better characterization of the linguistic abilities of individuals with DS, in order to allow the elaboration of strategies that stimulate their communicative abilities as to promote greater social insertion for this population.