Abstract
BackgroundGait ability and cognitive function are interrelated during both normal walking (NW) and dual-task walking (DTW), and gait ability is thus adversely affected by cognitive impairment in both situations. However, this association is insufficiently understood in people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Here, we conducted a study with MCI participants, to examine whether the association depends on walking conditions and MCI subtypes.MethodsWe classified 389 elderly adults into amnestic MCI (n = 191) and non-amnestic MCI (n = 198), assessed their cognitive functions, and administered gait experiments under NW and DTW conditions. Gait ability was defined as gait speed. Five aspects of cognitive function were assessed: processing speed, executive function, working memory, verbal memory, and visual memory.ResultsRegression analysis adjusted for covariates showed a significant association between cognitive functions and gait speed. Processing speed and executive function correlated with gait speed during both NW and DTW (p < .05). Gait speed during DTW was also significantly associated with working memory (p < .001). Visual memory was associated during NW and DTW, particularly for amnestic MCI participants (p < .05).ConclusionsOur findings support the idea that the association between gait speed and cognitive function depends on walking condition and MCI subtypes. Additional studies are necessary to determine the neural basis for the disruption in gait control in older adults with MCI.
Highlights
Gait ability and cognitive function are interrelated during both normal walking (NW) and dual-task walking (DTW), and gait ability is adversely affected by cognitive impairment in both situations
This study aimed to examine the association between cognitive function and gait speed in older people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and to examine whether these associations differed depending on walking condition and subtypes of MCI
When comparing cognitive functions between MCI groups, we adjusted for age and sex
Summary
Gait ability and cognitive function are interrelated during both normal walking (NW) and dual-task walking (DTW), and gait ability is adversely affected by cognitive impairment in both situations This association is insufficiently understood in people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Less is known about the relationships between specific cognitive functions and gait in people with MCI, though population studies have been conducted in older adults to examine this issue [9,10,11,12,13,14]. Prospective studies indicate that lower attention/executive function [9,13] or memory function [9,11] may lead to a decline in gait speed in older adults. Investigating cognitive function in MCI participants requires considering several cognitive function domains as well as these MCI subtypes
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