title: Physical fitness and cognitive function in an 85-year-old community-dwelling population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is known about the association between physical fitness and cognitive function in very elderly people (over 80 years of age).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate that relationship in 85-year-old community-dwelling individuals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Out of 207 participants (90 males, 117 females) who were 85 years old and community-dwelling, 205 completed the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) for evaluating cognitive function. The numbers of subjects who completed physical fitness measurements such as hand-grip strength, isometric leg extensor strength, one-leg standing time, stepping rate, and walking speed were 198, 159, 169, 168, and 151, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significant associations in MMSE with hand-grip strength (right or left hand), isometric leg extensor strength, stepping rate, and walking speed by simple regression analysis. MMSE was still significantly associated with hand-grip strength (beta = 0.305, p = 0.005 for right side; beta = 0.309, p = 0.004 for left side), stepping rate (beta = 0.183, p = 0.046), and walking speed (beta = -0.222, p = 0.014) by multiple regression analysis after adjustments for the amount of education, gender, smoking, drinking, complication of stroke, body weight, body height, regular medical care, serum albumin, blood HbA1c, and marital status. By logistic regression analysis, the prevalence of a normal MMSE score (MMSE >or=24) was increased by 9% with each 1-kg increase in hand-grip strength of the left hand (OR 1.087, 95% CI 1.003-1.179, p = 0.042), and was increased by 6% with each step per 10 s in stepping rate (OR 1.060, 95% CI 1.000-1.122, p = 0.048).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In a very elderly population of 85-year-olds, cognitive function was associated with some physical fitness measurements, independent of confounding factors.
authors.affiliation: Division of General Internal Medicine, Kyushu Dental College, Kitakyushu, Japan. yutaka@kyu-dent.ac.jp
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takata
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ansai
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Soh
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoshitake
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sonoki
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Awano
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kagiyama
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nakamichi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hamasaki
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Torisu
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Toyoshima
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takehara
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018737:Hand Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D012111:Residence Characteristics