Cognitive and physical functions among Chinese community-dwelling older adults with motoric cognitive risk syndrome:...

This prospective cohort study examined the change trajectories of cognitive and physical functions of individuals with motoric cognitive risk (MCR) syndrome, as well as the longitudinal associations between MCR syndrome and changes in cognitive and physical functions, to provide a new perspective on preventing dementia.

Participants were selected from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Demographic characteristics, health status, and lifestyle variables were assessed in 2011. MCR syndrome was defined as the presence of subjective cognitive complaints and objective slow gait, with preserved activities of daily living and absence of dementia, and assessed in 2011. Cognitive function, including orientation, attention and calculation, episodic memory, and visuospatial ability, was measured from 2011 to 2018. Physical function, including grip strength, balance ability, and repeated chair stand tests, was measured from 2011 to 2015. Generalized estimating equation was employed to analyze the longitudinal associations between MCR syndrome in 2011 and changes in cognitive functions over 7 years and physical functions over 4 years.

Among 4,217 participants, 475 had MCR syndrome in 2011. Both participants with MCR syndrome and those without exhibited a decline in both cognitive and physical function over 7 years and 4 years of follow-up, except for fluctuations in visuospatial ability. Non-MCR syndrome participants demonstrated significantly better overall cognitive function in 2018 compared to 2011 (Group × Time: B = 0.44, P = 0.035) than those in the MCR syndrome group. However, participants with non-MCR syndrome demonstrated significantly worse visuospatial ability in 2013 (Group × time: B = -0.44, P = 0.002) and 2018 (Group × time: B = -0.34, P = 0.016) compared to those in the MCR syndrome group. Non-MCR syndrome participants demonstrated significantly better performance in repeated chair stand tests in 2013 (Group × time: B = 0.31, P < 0.001) and 2015 (Group × time: B = 0.37, P < 0.001) compared to those in the MCR syndrome group in 2011.

Older adults with MCR syndrome experience worse overall cognitive and physical function performance, especially in repeated chair stand tests, than individuals without MCR syndrome over 7-year and 4-year follow-up periods. It is suggested that future interventional studies will target both physical and cognitive functions in MCR syndrome individuals, providing insights for the prevention of dementia.