The relationship between cognitive function and physical performance in older women: results from the women's health initiative memory study.

Background: Cognitive function and physical performance are associated, but the common sequence of cognitive and physical decline remains unclear.

Methods: In the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study (WHIMS) clinical trial, we examined associations at baseline and over a 6-year follow-up period between the Modified Mini-Mental State (3MS) Examination and three physical performance measures (PPMs): gait speed (meters/second), chair stands (number of stands in 15 seconds), and grip strength (kilograms). Using mixed models, we examined the baseline 3MS as predictor of change in PPM, change in the 3MS as predictor of change in PPM, and baseline PPM as predictors of 3MS change.

Changes in cognitive function in a randomized trial of physical activity: results of the lifestyle interventions and independence for elders pilot study.

Background: Cognitive impairment is an important contributor to disability. Limited clinical trial evidence exists regarding the impact of physical exercise on cognitive function (CF). We report results of a pilot study to provide estimates of the relative impact of physical activity (PA) on 1-year changes in cognitive outcomes and to characterize relationships between changes in mobility disability and changes in cognition in older adults at increased risk for disability.

Comparison of the design differences between the Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory study and the GuidAge study.

The epidemic of late life dementia, prominence of use of alternative medications and supplements, and initiation of efforts to determine how to prevent dementia have led to efforts to conduct studies aimed at prevention of dementia. The GEM (Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory) and GuidAge studies are ongoing randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of Ginkgo biloba, administered in a dose of 120 mg twice per day as EGb761, to test whether Ginkgo biloba is effective in the prevention of dementia (and especially Alzheimer's disease) in normal elderly or those early cognitive impairment. Both GEM and GuidAge will also add substantial knowledge to the growing need for expertise in designing and implementing clinical trials to test the efficacy of putative disease-modifying agents for the dementias.

Muscarinic receptor-mediated GTP-Eu binding in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex is correlated with spatial memory impairment in aged rats.

The present study examined muscarinic receptor/G-protein coupling in the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex of young and aged Long-Evans rats characterized for spatial learning ability in the Morris water maze. In a highly sensitive time-resolved fluorometry GTP-Eu binding assay, muscarinic-mediated GTP-Eu binding was severely blunted in hippocampus (-32%) and prefrontal cortex (-34%) as a consequence of aging. Furthermore, the magnitude of decreased muscarinic-mediated GTP-Eu binding was significantly correlated with the severity of spatial learning impairment in hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of aged rats and was specifically decreased in the subset of aged rats that were spatial learning impaired when compared to the aged unimpaired and the young rats.

Predictors of combined cognitive and physical decline.

Objectives: To determine the incidence and correlates of combined declines in cognitive and physical performance.

Design: Cohort study of community-dwelling older women with moderate to severe disability.

Setting: The community surrounding Baltimore, Maryland.