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Cognitive status, fast walking speed and walking speed reserve-the Gait and Alzheimer Interactions Tracking (GAIT) study

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-19, 03:51 authored by Michele CallisayaMichele Callisaya, Launay, CP, Srikanth, VK, Verghese, J, Allali, G, Beauchet, O
The aims of this study were to (1) determine if older people at their fast walking speed (FWS) are able to reach the speed required at pedestrian crossings (> 1.2 m/s) and (2) determine the role of cognitive impairment on the ability to alter speed and walk quickly. Participants were recruited from the Angers Memory Clinic, France. Gait speed was assessed at preferred and FWS using a GAITRite walkway. Walking speed reserve (WSR) was calculated as the difference between FWS and preferred speeds. Participants were classified into cognitive stages (cognitively healthy, mild cognitive impairment, mild and moderate dementia) based on neuropsychological evaluations. The proportion of participants with a FWS of < 1.2 m/s was reported. The association between cognitive stage and preferred, fast and walking speed reserve was assessed using multivariable regression, adjusting for covariates. The mean age of the sample (n = 681) was 73.3 (SD 5.8) years. At preferred speed 73.7%, and at FWS 12.8%, of participants had speeds less than 1.2 m/s. Poorer cognitive stage was associated with slower preferred speed (β -0.08, 95% CI -0.10, -0.06), FWS (β -0.13, 95% CI -0.16, -0.10) and also with smaller WSR (m/s) (β -0.05, 95% CI -0.07, -0.03), but not WSR (%) (β -1.73, 95% CI -4.38, 0.93). In older people, worse stages of cognitive impairment were associated with poorer ability to increase speed and walk quickly. Such limitations may result in reduced ability to access the community.

History

Publication title

GeroScience

Volume

39

Pagination

231-239

ISSN

2509-2715

Department/School

Menzies Institute for Medical Research

Publisher

Springer International Publishing

Place of publication

Dordrecht, Netherlands

Rights statement

Copyright 2017 American Aging Association

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Health related to ageing

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