The Psychophysiology of Falling: Exploring the role of cortisol circadian function, cognition and postural control in healthy aging

Aging is associated with an increased risk of falling, which is a leading cause of morbidity and death. Postural control is required for prevention of falls in everyday life. It is achieved by the effective interaction of somatosensory, visual and vestibular inputs. There are clear interactions between the stress hypothalamic-adrenal-axis and vestibular function (Saman et al., 2012). The stress-hormone cortisol may be implicated in the fine regulation of postural control. Cortisol exhibits a marked circadian rhythm, which is essential for healthy-functioning. Disrupted patterns are associated with chronic stress, ill-health and increasing age. Separate studies indicate disrupted cortisol cycles are linked with impaired cognition (especially executive function) and with dysfunction of the vestibular system (Evans et al., 2011; Law et al., 2015; Saman et al., 2012). This study will explore the role of cortisol circadian function, cognition and postural control in healthy aging. Daily patterns of salivary cortisol, cognition and postural control in older adults will be carefully assessed. Cortisol will be measured from repeated saliva samples collected on 4-days. On the afternoon of each study day EF and postural sway will be measured in the laboratory. This studentship offers an opportunity to work in the internationally recognized Psychophysiology and Stress Research Group. The student will learn a wide range of experimental and analytical skills, including, collection and analysis of salivary cortisol, assessment of postural sway, actigraphy, estimates of cognitive function and multilevel modelling. The student will participate in the University Graduate School and Faculty Doctoral Research Development Programme and will be supported to showcase their research at national/international conferences as well as publish their work in high impact peer-reviewed journals. Over the course of the PhD, the student will gain transferable skills in project management, presentation and scientific writing skills. Ethical approval has been granted for the study.
The student will take part in the University Graduate School and Faculty Doctoral Research Development Programme; in addition to these training programmes and the subject specific skills listed above, the student will gain important transferable skills (e.g. presentation skills, scientific writing and employability skills) to aid in future career progression.