AI Article Synopsis

  • The study investigates the link between white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) and gait performance in older adults with varying degrees of cognitive impairment.
  • It includes 150 participants divided into three groups: those with cognitive impairment, mild cognitive impairment, and cognitively normal, measuring factors like gait velocity and variability.
  • Results revealed that greater WMHs correlated with slower gait and more variability in those with cognitive impairment, while those with mild impairment or normal cognition showed different patterns, highlighting the impact of cognitive levels on gait performance and neurological health.

Article Abstract

Aim: Gait impairment implies subtle cognitive impairment (CI) and is associated with severity of white matter hyperintensities (WMHs). However, cognitive differences in such an association are not yet fully understood. This study examined the association between WMHs and gait performance among three cognitively different older groups.

Methods: Gait performance and WMHs were assessed in 150 community-dwelling older adults, comprising 53 with CI (Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE] score <24), 63 with mild CI (MMSE score ≥24 and Montreal Cognitive Assessment [MoCA] score <25), and 34 who were cognitively normal or preserved (MMSE ≥24 and MoCA score ≥25). Gait velocity and variability were assessed on a 5-m electronic walkway. Furthermore, WMH volume was derived by automated segmentation using 1.5 T magnetic resonance imaging.

Results: Adjusted multiple regression analyses showed that greater WMHs were associated with slower gait velocity and greater temporal (stride time) and spatial (stride and step lengths) variabilities among older adults with CI. In contrast, WMH was only associated with spatial variability in older adults with mild CI and in cognitively normal or preserved older adults.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that gait variability measures are more sensitive to subtle underlying neurological pathologies including WMHs in older adults. The cognitive-dependent differences found in the association between WMHs and gait performance suggests that the level of cognitive function interferes with the association between WMH and gait performance. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2021; ••: ••-••.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ggi.14132DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

gait performance
12
differences association
8
white matter
8
matter hyperintensities
8
older adults
8
cognitive impairment
8
association white
4
gait
4
hyperintensities gait
4
performance older
4

Similar Publications

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!