# Postural Control and Executive Functions in Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities: A Cross‐Sectional Study

## TL;DR

This study found that people with intellectual disabilities and lower executive function have more unstable posture under different conditions.

## Contribution

The study links executive function levels to postural control in individuals with intellectual disabilities using specific COP measures.

## Key findings

- Lower executive function correlates with increased postural instability in individuals with intellectual disabilities.
- Postural instability is most evident in open-base and eyes-closed conditions.
- COP area and velocity increase with reduced executive function performance.

## Abstract

The aim of the study was to compare the postural control of individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) according to their level of executive function, considering different visual and postural conditions and center of pressure (COP) measures. Design: A cross‐sectional study.

The participants were users of sheltered housing services and day centers.

45 adults with ID.

Not Applicable.

The data collected included COP measures under various visual and postural conditions, as well as executive function measures in tests of cognitive flexibility, working memory, and inhibitory control. The data were analyzed using mixed analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Differences in postural control were observed according to the level of executive function and between the closed‐base, eyes‐open condition (CBEO) and the open‐base, eyes‐open (OBEO) and open‐base, eyes‐closed (OBEC) conditions (p < 0.01; η2
p > 0.14).

Individuals with ID who exhibited lower executive function performance showed larger anteroposterior and mediolateral displacements, as well as increased COP area and velocity.

This cross‐sectional study compared postural control in people with intellectual disabilities according to their level of executive functions, considering different visual and postural conditions. Lower executive function is associated with greater postural instability (increased anteroposterior and mediolateral displacements, area, and COP velocity).