Citation

Best JR, Liu-Ambrose T, Boudreau RM, Ayonayon HN, Satterfield S, Simonsick EM, Studenski S, Yaffe K, Newman AB, Rosano C. J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. 2016; 71(12): 1616-1623.

Affiliation

Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Gerontological Society of America)

DOI

10.1093/gerona/glw066

PMID

27069098

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Few cohort studies have examined longitudinal associations between age-related changes in cognition and physical performance. Further, whether these associations differ for men versus women or can be attributed to differences in physical activity (PA) is unknown.

METHODS: Participants were 2,876 initially well-functioning community-dwelling older adults (aged 70-79 years at baseline; 52% female; 39% black) studied over a 9-year period. Usual gait speed, self-reported PA, and two cognitive measures-Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) and Mini-Modified Mental State examination (3MS)-were assessed years 0 (ie, baseline), 4, and 9.

RESULTS: Early decline between years 0 and 4 in gait speed predicted later decline between years 4 and 9 in performance on the 3MS (β = 0.10, p =.004) and on the DSST (β = 0.16, p <.001). In contrast, the associations between early decline in cognition and later decline in gait speed were weaker and were non-significant after correcting for multiple comparisons (β = 0.08, p =.019 for 3MS and β =.06, p =.051 for DSST). All associations were similar for women and men and were unaltered when accounting for PA levels.

CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate declining gait speed as a precursor to declining cognitive functioning, and suggest a weaker reciprocal process among older women and men.

© The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Language: en