Poor Physical Function
First Signs of Dementia - Alzheimer's Disease Early Warnings May Include
Loss of Balance Limp and Weak Hand Grip
May 24th 2006
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Researchers at the University of Washington, Seattle, believe that poor
physical performance may be early signs of dementia and Alzheimer’s
disease. It has been shown that both physical performance and cognitive
(thinking, learning and memory) ability tend to decline with age, but
few studies have examined how physical performance is linked to the
development of dementia or the intermediate stage known as cognitive
impairment.
This study involved 2,288 participants, age 65 and older, who did not
have dementia at the beginning of the study. Between 1994 and 1996,
participants underwent initial testing to determine their cognitive
abilities, which were scored on a scale from zero to 100. Along with
this testing, they performed four tests of physical function. These
tests included standing from a seated position five times, a standing
balance assessment, a timed 10 foot walk, and a measured grip strength
test performed on their dominant hand.
The participants were scored zero to four on each test, where four was
the highest functioning. The researchers then added the score and
compared it to the same test every other year through October 2003.
They were also assessed for dementia.
At the beginning of the study, participants with the lowest physical
performance also had the lowest cognitive skills. After 6 years, 319
participants developed dementia, including 221 with Alzheimer's
disease. The researchers found that those with performance scores over
10 were much less likely to develop dementia that those with scores
below 10.
Even after accounting for age, gender, education, a family history or
genetic predisposition to Alzheimer's disease and other mental
illnesses, it appears physical performance is a good predictor of
outcome. Each one-point decrease on the physical performance scale was
associated with an increased risk of dementia, Alzheimer's disease and a
more rapid decline in cognitive performance scores.
The researchers concluded, “We observed that among participants without
apparent cognitive impairment, those with gait slowing and poor balance
were more likely to develop dementia, and among participants with
possible mild cognitive impairment, those with poor handgrip were more
likely to develop dementia. These findings suggest that gait slowing
and poor balance might relate to dementia and may occur during an
earlier stage before cognitive impairment is apparent, and that poor
handgrip might relate to dementia during a later stage when cognitive
impairment has occurred. If confirmed, this study might also help
explain the association of physical exercise with a reduced risk of
dementia, suggesting that exercise, by improving and maintaining
physical function, might benefit cognitive function through a connection
between the two."
Dan Wilson
Best Syndication
Books on the Mind
Keywords and Misspellings: altimers alzeimer's
altimer's diseese disese oldtimers oldtimer's Altzimer's Altzimers
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