Recent studies have revealed that a slower walking pace in older adults may be an early warning sign of dementia. A joint study by the University of Minnesota and Monash University found that as cognitive decline sets in, walking becomes increasingly difficult.
The researchers monitored individuals aged 75 and above, discovering that those whose walking speed decreased by 0.05 meters per second each year exhibited cognitive decline. This is likely due to cognitive decline affecting the brain regions responsible for controlling walking pace.
The study tracked 17,000 elderly adults over seven years, testing their walking speeds and cognitive abilities every two years. Participants showing declines in both cognition and walking speed, known as “dual decliners”, were at a higher risk of developing dementia.
This group accounted for 178 diagnosed dementia cases, or 11.3% of the study’s participants. Conversely, those with no decline in cognition or walking speed were least likely to be diagnosed, with only 0.3% affected.
However, the study did not find a broader link between walking speed and dementia risk, noting that individuals who slowed down without showing cognitive decline had a similar risk level to those whose walking speed remained steady. Researchers have found that a simultaneous decline in both cognitive abilities and walking speed could be an early indicator of dementia, pointing to the connection between mental processing and physical movement.
Dr Taya Collyer, a biostatistician at Monash University, spearheaded the research which revealed: “Association between [brain] domains, such as processing speed and verbal fluency, with gait have been explained by the crossover in the underlying networks or pathology.”
The study further noted: “These results highlight the importance of gait in dementia risk assessment. They suggest that dual decline in gait speed and memory measure may be the best combination to assess future decline.”
This significant finding was published in JAMA Network Open this week.
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