title: [Relationship between cognitive function and physical activities: a longitudinal study among community-dwelling elderly].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether physical activities reduce the risk of cognitive decline in community-dwelling elderly. We investigated correlations between cognitive functions at baseline and physical activities, correlations between cognitive functions at baseline and cognitive decline over 4 years, as well as correlations between physical activity at baseline and cognitive decline over 4 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  At baseline, 2,431 community-dwelling elderly completed the cognitive screening by telephone (TICS-J), and answered the questionnaires about physical activities. Of these, 1,040 subjects again completed the TICS-J over 4 years. Physical activities contained moving ability, walking frequency, walking speed, the exercise frequency.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At baseline, 870 elderly (age 75.87±4.96 (mean±SD) years, duration of education 11.05±2.41) showed normal cognitive functions and 170 (79.19±6.22, 9.61±2.23) showed cognitive impairment. The total TICS-J score was significantly higher in cognitive normal subjects compared with that of cognitive impaired subjects (36.02±1.89, 30.19±2.25, respectively, p<0.001). Logistic regression analyses showed that moving ability significantly reduced the risk of cognitive impairment in an unadjusted model, and walking speed also reduced the risk of cognitive impairment at baseline even in an adjusted model. Cognitive function at baseline might be a predictor of cognitive function over 4 years. The longitudinal study revealed that walking speed and exercise frequency significantly correlate with maintenance of cognitive function over 4 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides that physical activities, especially walking speed have significant correlation with cognitive function.
authors.affiliation: Division of Research, Obu Dementia Care Research and Training Center.
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Konagaya
authors.forename: Tomoyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Toshiki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohta
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*