Correlation between functional mobility and cognitive performance in older adults with cognitive impairment

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Gerontology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Cognitive impairment, particularly in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD), is associated with gait disturbances.
• These gait issues are more pronounced under divided attention conditions, elevating the risk of falls.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between cognitive function and gait performance in individuals with MCI and mild AD.
• To assess how cognitive and manual dual-tasking affects gait in these populations.

Main Methods:

• The study included 36 controls, 42 MCI patients, and 26 mild AD patients.
• Gait was evaluated using the Timed Up-and-Go (TUG) test under four conditions: single-task (TUG1), cognitive dual-task (TUG2), manual dual-task (TUG3), and cognitive-manual dual-task (TUG4).
• Cognitive function was assessed using the MMSE, SKT, Exit25, and TMT (A and B).

Main Results:

• Significant correlations were found between cognitive scores and dual-task TUG (TUG2 and TUG4) in the AD group.
• All TUG modalities correlated with the SKT cognitive test in both MCI and AD groups.
• Functional mobility impairments during cognitive dual tasks were linked to cognitive decline in AD and attention/memory deficits in MCI.

Conclusions:

• Gait performance, especially under dual-task conditions, is significantly associated with cognitive status in MCI and mild AD.
• Assessing gait during dual tasks may help identify cognitive decline and predict fall risk in older adults with cognitive impairment.