Enhanced gait variability index and cognitive performance in Asian adults: Results from the Yishun Study

Although gait variability has been linked to cognitive decline among older adults, the lack of a comprehensive composite gait variability score has dampened the application of gait variability.

Does the enhanced gait variability index (EGVI) - a composite score gait variability index - provide differential and useful information on cognitive decline in community-dwelling adults from that using gait speed?

Healthy community-dwelling adults (n = 311) aged 21-90 were individually administered the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). Habitual gait speed and spatiotemporal parameters were measured using a 6 m instrumented walkway system. The EGVI for each participant was calculated from five spatiotemporal parameters - step length(cm), step time(s), stance time(s), single support time(s) and stride velocity(cm/s). Linear regression models, controlling for age, gender, and education, were built to examine the independent effects of EGVI or gait speed on global cognition and individual domains.

Multiple regression revealed that gait speed contributed significantly to the performance of the domain "Attention" (p = 0.04) whereas EGVI contributed significantly for the performance of the domain "Visuospatial" (p = 0.04) and "Delayed Memory" (p = 0.02).

EGVI provides differential and useful information from using gait speed alone. The EGVI may offer a solution to measure or track GV changes in relation to cognitive changes.