BACKGROUND: The association between gait speed and cognition has been reported; however, there is limited knowledge about the temporal associations between gait slowing and cognitive decline among cognitively normal individuals. METHODS: The Mayo Clinic Study of Aging is a population-based study of Olmsted County, Minnesota, United States, residents aged 70-89 years. This analysis included 1,478 cognitively normal participants who were evaluated every 15 months with a nurse visit, neurologic evaluation, and neuropsychological testing. The neuropsychological battery used nine tests to compute domain-specific (memory, language, executive function, and visuospatial skills) and global cognitive z-scores. Timed gait speed (m/s) was assessed over 25 feet (7.6 meters) at a usual pace. Using mixed models, we examined baseline gait speed (continuous and in quartiles) as a predictor of cognitive decline and baseline cognition as a predictor of gait speed changes controlling for demographics and medical conditions. RESULTS: Cross-sectionally, faster gait speed was associated with better performance in memory, executive function, and global cognition. Both cognitive scores and gait speed declined over time. A faster gait speed at baseline was associated with less cognitive decline across all domain-specific and global scores. These results were slightly attenuated after excluding persons with incident mild cognitive impairment or dementia. By contrast, baseline cognition was not associated with changes in gait speed. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that slow gait precedes cognitive decline. Gait speed may be useful as a reliable, easily attainable, and noninvasive risk factor for cognitive decline.
BACKGROUND: The association between gait speed and cognition has been reported; however, there is limited knowledge about the temporal associations between gait slowing and cognitive decline among cognitively normal individuals. METHODS: The Mayo Clinic Study of Aging is a population-based study of Olmsted County, Minnesota, United States, residents aged 70-89 years. This analysis included 1,478 cognitively normal participants who were evaluated every 15 months with a nurse visit, neurologic evaluation, and neuropsychological testing. The neuropsychological battery used nine tests to compute domain-specific (memory, language, executive function, and visuospatial skills) and global cognitive z-scores. Timed gait speed (m/s) was assessed over 25 feet (7.6 meters) at a usual pace. Using mixed models, we examined baseline gait speed (continuous and in quartiles) as a predictor of cognitive decline and baseline cognition as a predictor of gait speed changes controlling for demographics and medical conditions. RESULTS: Cross-sectionally, faster gait speed was associated with better performance in memory, executive function, and global cognition. Both cognitive scores and gait speed declined over time. A faster gait speed at baseline was associated with less cognitive decline across all domain-specific and global scores. These results were slightly attenuated after excluding persons with incident mild cognitive impairment or dementia. By contrast, baseline cognition was not associated with changes in gait speed. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that slow gait precedes cognitive decline. Gait speed may be useful as a reliable, easily attainable, and noninvasive risk factor for cognitive decline.
Authors: Daniel K White; Tuhina Neogi; Michael C Nevitt; Christine E Peloquin; Yanyan Zhu; Robert M Boudreau; Jane A Cauley; Luigi Ferrucci; Tamara B Harris; Susan M Satterfield; Eleanor M Simonsick; Elsa S Strotmeyer; Yuqing Zhang Journal: J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci Date: 2012-10-09 Impact factor: 6.053
Authors: Ana Alfaro-Acha; Soham Al Snih; Mukaila A Raji; Kyriakos S Markides; Kenneth J Ottenbacher Journal: J Am Geriatr Soc Date: 2007-02 Impact factor: 5.562
Authors: Erik Scherder; Laura Eggermont; Dick Swaab; Marieke van Heuvelen; Yvo Kamsma; Mathieu de Greef; Ruud van Wijck; Theo Mulder Journal: Neurosci Biobehav Rev Date: 2007-02-15 Impact factor: 8.989
Authors: Jennifer L St Sauver; Brandon R Grossardt; Barbara P Yawn; L Joseph Melton; Walter A Rocca Journal: Am J Epidemiol Date: 2011-03-23 Impact factor: 4.897
Authors: Annette L Fitzpatrick; Catherine K Buchanan; Richard L Nahin; Steven T Dekosky; Hal H Atkinson; Michelle C Carlson; Jeff D Williamson Journal: J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci Date: 2007-11 Impact factor: 6.053
Authors: Marco Inzitari; Anne B Newman; Kristine Yaffe; Robert Boudreau; Nathalie de Rekeneire; Ronald Shorr; Tamara B Harris; Caterina Rosano Journal: Neuroepidemiology Date: 2007-11-27 Impact factor: 3.282
Authors: Walter A Rocca; Barbara P Yawn; Jennifer L St Sauver; Brandon R Grossardt; L Joseph Melton Journal: Mayo Clin Proc Date: 2012-11-28 Impact factor: 7.616
Authors: Joe Verghese; Emmeline Ayers; Nir Barzilai; David A Bennett; Aron S Buchman; Roee Holtzer; Mindy J Katz; Richard B Lipton; Cuiling Wang Journal: Neurology Date: 2014-10-31 Impact factor: 9.910
Authors: Olivier Beauchet; Cédric Annweiler; Michele L Callisaya; Anne-Marie De Cock; Jorunn L Helbostad; Reto W Kressig; Velandai Srikanth; Jean-Paul Steinmetz; Helena M Blumen; Joe Verghese; Gilles Allali Journal: J Am Med Dir Assoc Date: 2016-02-04 Impact factor: 4.669
Authors: Rodolfo Savica; Alexandra M V Wennberg; Clinton Hagen; Kelly Edwards; Rosebud O Roberts; John H Hollman; David S Knopman; Bradley F Boeve; Mary M Machulda; Ronald C Petersen; Michelle M Mielke Journal: J Alzheimers Dis Date: 2017 Impact factor: 4.472
Authors: Jason R Falvey; Allison M Gustavson; Lisa Price; Lucine Papazian; Jennifer E Stevens-Lapsley Journal: J Geriatr Phys Ther Date: 2019 Apr/Jun Impact factor: 3.381
Authors: Alexandra M V Wennberg; Clinton E Hagen; Mary M Machulda; John H Hollman; Rosebud O Roberts; David S Knopman; Ronald C Petersen; Michelle M Mielke Journal: Neurobiol Aging Date: 2018-02-19 Impact factor: 4.673
Authors: Brett M Frye; Payton M Valure; Suzanne Craft; Mark G Baxter; Christie Scott; Shanna Wise-Walden; David W Bissinger; Hannah M Register; Carson Copeland; Matthew J Jorgensen; Jamie N Justice; Stephen B Kritchevsky; Thomas C Register; Carol A Shively Journal: Geroscience Date: 2021-02-21 Impact factor: 7.713