Intrinsic Pace: Linking Physical and Cognitive Function in Older Adults
Author Information
Author(s): Kritchevsky Stephen, Cawthon Peggy, Johnson Eileen, Moffitt Terrie, Thompson Atalie, Xie Kathy, Miller Michael
Primary Institution: Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Hypothesis
Is there a significant association between physical and cognitive function in older adults?
Conclusion
The study found a strong connection between timed physical and cognitive assessments in older adults.
Supporting Evidence
- The first canonical function explained 26% and 25% of the shared variability in the B-NET and SOMMA studies, respectively.
- Timed assessments were strongly correlated with cognitive measures, while untimed assessments showed weak correlations.
- In the Dunedin Study, timed measures had the strongest associations across physical and cognitive domains.
Takeaway
This study shows that how fast you can do physical tasks is closely related to how well you think, especially in older people.
Methodology
Canonical correlation was used to analyze associations between physical and cognitive assessments across three studies.
Limitations
The study may be limited by the specific age ranges and assessments used.
Participant Demographics
Adults aged 70 and older, and a cohort born in 1972-73.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website