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Motoric cognitive risk syndrome and the risk of dementia
Joe Verghese1, Cuiling Wang, Richard B Lipton
1Division of Cognitive & Motor Aging, Saul R Korey Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1165 Morris Park Avenue, Rousso 301, Bronx, NY 10461, USA. joe.verghese@einstein.yu.edu
Background:
Despite growing evidence of links between gait and cognition in aging, cognitive risk assessments that incorporate motoric signs have not been examined. We sought to validate a new Motoric Cognitive Risk (MCR) syndrome to identify individuals at high risk of developing dementia.
Methods:
We evaluated 997 community residing individuals aged 70 and older participating in the Einstein Aging Study over a median follow-up time of 36.9 months. MCR syndrome was defined as presence of cognitive complaints and slow gait (one standard deviation below age- and sex-specific gait speed means) in nondemented individuals. Cox models were used to evaluate the effect of MCR syndrome on the risk of developing dementia and subtypes.
Results:
Fifty-two participants met criteria for MCR syndrome at baseline with a prevalence of 7% (95% CI: 5-9%). Prevalence of MCR increased with age. Participants with MCR were at higher risk of developing dementia (hazard ratio [HR] adjusted for age, sex, and education: 3.27, 95% CI: 1.55-6.90) and vascular dementia (adjusted HR: 12.81, 95% CI: 4.98-32.97). The association of MCR with risk of dementia or vascular dementia remained significant even after accounting for other confounders and diagnostic overlap with "cognitive" mild cognitive impairment syndrome subtypes.
Conclusions:
A motor-based MCR syndrome provides a clinical approach to identify individuals at high risk for dementia, especially vascular dementia, to target for further investigations and who may benefit from preventive interventions.
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