Mehmet Selman ONTAN, Fatma Sena DOST, Ahmet Turan IŞIK
European Journal of Geriatrics and Gerontology - 2026;8(2):129-134
Objective: Falls, a major public health concern, may lead to morbidity and mortality among older adults. While the re-emergence of primitive reflexes (PRs) reflects a loss of cortical inhibition and is generally associated with neurodegenerative conditions, the relationship between PRs and falls in older adults without neurodegenerative disease has yet to be investigated in detail. This study aimed to evaluate the association between PRs and falls in older adults without neurodegenerative disease. Materials and Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted involving 668 older adults without neurodegenerative disease. Demographics, comorbidities, medications, and laboratory parameters were obtained from patients' medical records. The presence of specific PRs (palmomental, snout, glabellar, and grasp) and a history of falls in the last 12 months were evaluated in such patients. Results: Of the 668 participants, 241 (36.1%) reported a history of falls. Each of the palmomental, snout, and glabellar reflexes was more prevalent in the fallers group compared with non-fallers (p < 0.001, p = 0.020, p = 0.020, respectively). In logistic regression, the association between falls and both the palmomental reflex and the glabellar reflex remained significant. [Odds ratio (OR): 1.877, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.162-3.033, p = 0.010 and OR: 2.363, 95% CI: 1.130-4.943, p = 0.022]. Conclusion: The palmomental and glabellar reflexes are associated with falls in older adults. Eliciting these simple, non-invasive clinical signs may significantly aid in early fall risk stratification and preventive care.
