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Walk Faster, Sharpen Your Mind: Dementia Link Found
7 Oct
Summary
- Walking faster may slow dementia onset in those with cognitive impairment.
- Gait speed, leg power linked to cognitive decline risk in vulnerable adults.
- Physical markers predict dementia years before diagnosis.
New analysis of nearly 900 older adults suggests that walking faster can slow the onset of dementia. Researchers found that gait speed and leg muscle power are significant indicators of cognitive decline risk in individuals most vulnerable to dementia.
The study, conducted in Spain's Basque Country, involved participants aged 60-85 with high dementia risk scores but no diagnosed dementia. Their cognitive function, gait speed, handgrip strength, and leg power were assessed. The findings indicate that the negative impact of aging on brain function became undetectable at certain thresholds of physical performance.
Specifically, gait speed above 1.59 meters per second, handgrip strength of 48.8kg, and leg power of 438 watts were associated with a weaker relationship between age and executive function. However, the moderating effect of gait speed was observed primarily in men.
Researchers caution that these are not clinical cut-offs yet and call for further long-term studies. Maintaining high physical performance may help preserve executive function and inform future preventive strategies against dementia.
