Open AccessEndurance and gait speed relationships with mild cognitive impairment and dementia
Author(s) -
Windham Beverly Gwen,
Parker Sara B.,
Zhu Xiaoqian,
Gabriel Kelley Pettee,
Palta Priya,
Sullivan Kevin J.,
Parker Kirby G.,
Knopman David S.,
Gottesman Rebecca F.,
Griswold Michael E.,
Mosley Thomas H.
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
alzheimer's and dementia: diagnosis, assessment and disease monitoring
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.497
H-Index - 37
ISSN - 2352-8729
DOI - 10.1002/dad2.12281
Subject(s) - dementia , gait , cognitive impairment , physical medicine and rehabilitation , cognition , medicine , psychology , neuroscience , disease
Slower mobility is associated with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia. We examined the interaction of endurance with gait speed on prevalent MCI and dementia. Methods Cross‐sectional multinomial regression in the ARIC cohort (n = 2844 participants; 71 to 94 years; 44% men; 18% Black persons) with cognitive status (normal/MCI/dementia), 4 m gait speed, and endurance (2 minute walk [2MW]). Results Faster gait speed (up to but not above 1 m/s) and better 2MW were separately associated with lower dementia risk. Good performance in both (2MW = 200 m, gait speed = 1.2 m/s) was associated with 99% lower dementia (Relative Prevalence Ratio [RPR] = 0.01 [95% CI: 0.0 to 0.06]) and 73% lower MCI, RPR = 0.27 (0.15 to 0.48) compared to poor performance in both (2MW = 100 m, gait speed = 0.8 m/s). Models incorporating a gait speed‐by‐2MW interaction term outperformed gait speed‐only models ( P < .001). Discussion Gait speed relationships with dementia diminish at faster gait speeds. Combining endurance with gait speed may yield more sensitive markers of MCI and dementia than gait speed alone.