Mobility and Cognition in Seniors. Report from the 2008 Institute of Aging (CIHR) Mobility and Cognition Workshop.
BACKGROUND
The annual Scientific Meeting of the Canadian Association on Gerontology was held on October 24 and 25, 2008 in London, Ontario. Prior to the annual meeting, mobility and cognition experts met on October 23, 2008 to engage in a pre-conference workshop.


METHODS
Discussions during the workshop addressed novel areas of research and knowledge and research gaps pertaining to the interaction between mobility and cognition in seniors.


RESULTS
Workshop presenters moved from the neuromuscular, biomechanics, and neurology of gait impairments, and falls through the role of cognition and mood on mobility regulation to the whole person in the environment. Research gaps were identified.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite a consensus that mobility and cognition are increasingly correlated as people age, several gaps in our understanding of mechanisms and how to assess the interaction were recognized. The gaps originally identified in 2008 are still pertinent today. Common and standardized assessments for "mobility and cognition" are still not in place in current practice. Interventions that target mobility and cognitive decline as a single entity are still lacking.
Gait and Brain Lab, Parkwood Institute and Lawson Health Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, ON; ; Division of Geriatric Medicine, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON; ; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Western Ontario, London, ON;
Manuel
M
Montero-Odasso
Department of Psychology and PERFORM Center, Concordia University, Montreal, QC;
Louis
L
Bherer
Translational Gerontology Branch Longitudinal Studies Section, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MA, USA;
Stephanie
S
Studenski
Gait and Brain Lab, Parkwood Institute and Lawson Health Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, ON;
Karen
K
Gopaul
Gait and Brain Lab, Parkwood Institute and Lawson Health Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, ON;
Afua
A
Oteng-Amoako
Division of Geriatric Medicine, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON;
Sarah
S
Woolmore-Goodwin
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON;
Paul
P
Stoole
Division of Geriatric Medicine, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON;
Jennie
J
Wells
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON;
Timothy
T
Doherty
School of Health Studies, University of Western Ontario, London, ON;
Aleksandra A
AA
Zecevic
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel;
David
D
Galinsky
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON;
R Jane
RJ
Rylett
Faculty of Health Sciences, Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON;
Jeffrey
J
Jutai
Gait and Brain Lab, Parkwood Institute and Lawson Health Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, ON; ; School of Health Studies, University of Western Ontario, London, ON;
Susan
S
Muir-Hunter
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Western Ontario, London, ON;
Mark
M
Speechley
Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Department of Medicine, Division of Neurology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB.
Richard
R
Camicioli
MCI; Parkinson’s disease; dual-task gait; executive function; exercises; falls; gait variability; mobility