Executive function correlates with walking speed in older persons: the InCHIANTI study.
OBJECTIVE
To study the association between performance on psychological tests of executive function and performance on lower extremity tasks with different attentional demands in a large sample of nondemented, older adults.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Community-based.


METHODS
Nine hundred twenty-six persons aged 65 and older, without dementia, stroke, parkinsonism, visual impairment, or current treatment with neuroleptics, enrolled in a large epidemiological study.


METHODS
Trail Making Test (TMT) parts A and B and two performance-based measures of lower extremity function that require different executive/attentional-demanding skills: walking speed on a 4-m course at usual pace and walking speed on a 7-m obstacle course at fast pace. A difference score (Delta TMT), obtained by subtracting time to perform part A from time to perform part B of the TMT, was used as an indicator of executive function. Based on Delta TMT, subjects were divided into poor performance, intermediate performance, and good performance.


RESULTS
After adjustment, no association between Delta TMT and 4-m course usual-pace walking speed was found. Participants with poor Delta TMT and with intermediate Delta TMT performance were more likely to be in the lowest tertile for 7-m obstacle course walking speed.


CONCLUSIONS
In nondemented older persons, executive function is independently associated with tasks of lower extremity function that require high attentional demand.
Ble
Alesandro
A
Longitudinal Studies Section, Clinical Research Branch, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland.
Volpato
Stefano
S
Zuliani
Giovanni
G
Guralnik
Jack M
JM
Bandinelli
Stefania
S
Lauretani
Fulvio
F
Bartali
Benedetta
B
Maraldi
Cinzia
C
Fellin
Renato
R
Ferrucci
Luigi
L
D000368:Aged; D003071:Cognition; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D013997:Time Factors; D014145:Trail Making Test; D016138:Walking