title: An Evaluation of the Longitudinal, Bidirectional Associations Between Gait Speed and Cognition in Older Women and Men.
abstract: Few cohort studies have examined longitudinal associations between age-related changes in cognition and physical performance. Further, whether these associations differ for men versus women or can be attributed to differences in physical activity (PA) is unknown.
  
  
  
  Participants were 2,876 initially well-functioning community-dwelling older adults (aged 70-79 years at baseline; 52% female; 39% black) studied over a 9-year period. Usual gait speed, self-reported PA, and two cognitive measures-Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) and Mini-Modified Mental State examination (3MS)-were assessed years 0 (ie, baseline), 4, and 9.
  
  
  
  Early decline between years 0 and 4 in gait speed predicted later decline between years 4 and 9 in performance on the 3MS (β = 0.10, p = .004) and on the DSST (β = 0.16, p < .001). In contrast, the associations between early decline in cognition and later decline in gait speed were weaker and were non-significant after correcting for multiple comparisons (β = 0.08, p = .019 for 3MS and β = .06, p = .051 for DSST). All associations were similar for women and men and were unaltered when accounting for PA levels.
  
  
  
  The results indicate declining gait speed as a precursor to declining cognitive functioning, and suggest a weaker reciprocal process among older women and men.
authors.affiliation: Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. john.best@ubc.ca.|Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.|Centre for Hip Health and Mobility, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Best
authors.affiliation: Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.|Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.|Centre for Hip Health and Mobility, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liu-Ambrose
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Boudreau
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco.
authors.forename: Hilsa N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Ayonayon
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis.
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Satterfield
authors.affiliation: Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Eleanor M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Simonsick
authors.affiliation: Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Studenski
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco.|Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology, University of California, San Francisco.
authors.forename: Kristine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yaffe
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Anne B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rosano
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010414:Pennsylvania; D012307:Risk Factors; D057566:Self Report; D012737:Sex Factors; D013714:Tennessee; D000072797:Walking Speed
keywords: Cognition; Gait; Physical activity; Physical function.