Abstract
Ageing is associated with declines in cognitive functions and physical fitness (PF). Physical exercise training and physical activity (PA) have been shown to have positive effects on cognitive functions and brain plasticity. This study aims to establish a practical equation for evaluating cognitive functions using PF parameters in healthy older adults. One-hundred and two older subjects were physically and clinically evaluated. Participants performed the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) and handgrip test (HG); general cognitive functions were examined using the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). For all of them, a multiple regression analysis was used to predict MMSE from age, SPPB and HG variables. The new equation was cross validated to determine its prediction accuracy. Considering that SPPB and MMSE reference score are not different between genders, only one equation was developed for females and males. Age, SPPB and HG correlated significantly (p<0.01) with the MMSE score. The developed equation was MMSE = 19.479 + (1.548 x SPPB)–(0.130 x age) (R2 = 0.72 and root mean square errors of 3.6). The results of PF are useful for exercise specialists to achieve the best physical exercise training and PA in older adults. In conclusion, this study showed for the first time that our new equation can be used to predict subjects’ cognitive functions based on SPPB results and subject age. We suggest its use when patients’ cognitive functions or more appropriate clinical tests cannot be pursued.
Highlights
Between 2015 and 2050, the number of people over 60 will almost double from 12% to 22% [1]
No differences were observed for age, body mass index (BMI), Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) and Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) variables between males and females (Table 1)
Stepwise and multiple regression analyses between MMSE and independent variables Considering that SPPB and MMSE reference score are not different between genders, we decided to develop only one equation for both female and male subjects
Summary
Between 2015 and 2050, the number of people over 60 will almost double from 12% to 22% [1]. The population structure will be changing in developed countries, with fewer children and more elderly people. Because of this change, the pace of population aging around the world is increasing [1]. A longer life might bring new opportunities or disabilities depending on whether people can experience these additional years of life in a healthy or nonhealthy condition.
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