How Walking Speed and Memory Might Predict Dementia

A study in Geriatrics found that people whose memory and gait speed declined together were most at risk of developing dementia, reports Medical News Today . The researchers combined data from six large-scale studies involving 8,699 participants older than 60. They compared participants with dual decline with those whose walking speeds and memory remained constant, categorized as "usual agers." Across all six studies, individuals who experienced memory decline had a 2.2 to 4.6 times higher risk of developing dementia than usual agers. Among subjects who had reduced gait speed, the risk of dementia rose by 2.1 to 3.6 times, and this effect was only statistically significant in three of the six studies. "Participants with dual decline had 5.2 to 11.7 times higher risk of developing dementia, compared with usual agers," the authors concluded. They also suggested that dual decline could be "captured early in clinical settings by routinely administering gait speed assessment and a free recall memory test."