Session Information
Date: Wednesday, June 22, 2016
Session Title: Parkinson's disease: Cognition
Session Time: 12:00pm-1:30pm
Location: Exhibit Hall located in Hall B, Level 2
Objective: To explore current evidence of associations and predictors of gait and cognition in older adults and pathology to provide a clear understanding of current findings. In addition, identify gaps in the literature in order to outline future work.
Background: Recently gait has been recognized as in important tool as a measure of health and survival in older adults [1]. In addition, gait is no longer regarded as a simple motor task. This concept is demonstrated by recent work both in older adults and pathology highlighting associations between gait and cognition. Furthermore, gait has emerged as a predictor for cognitive decline and future risk of dementia [2]. However, a better understanding of gait and cognition associations are needed to examine underlying mechanisms, discern underlying pathophysiology and in turn aid diagnosis and treatment.
Methods: A structured literature review was conducted to map associations of single task gait with cognition in three groups; older adults, older adults with cognitive impairment and Parkinson’s disease (PD). Fifty papers out of an initial yield of 22,128 were reviewed. Gait and cognition associations were mapped utilising a model of gait to guide both analysis and interpretation.
Results: Gait and cognitive associations for all three groups were dominated by the pace domain (including step velocity and step length) and global cognitive function, attention and executive function. Pace also predicted decline in cognition in older adults. Results were biased due to the limited scope of assessment. Pace was the most frequently assessed gait domain and executive attention the most frequently assessed cognitive domain. A number of associations emerged in pathology when assessment approach was comprehensive; however, these studies were few and far between.
Conclusions: A robust association between gait and cognition was evident throughout older adults, cognitive impairment and PD. However, findings highlight a need for a more selective and comprehensive measurement approach in order to strengthen current evidence.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
R. Morris, S. Lord, J. Bunce, D. Burn, L. Rochester. Gait and cognition: Mapping the global and discrete relationships in ageing and neurodegenerative disease [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2016; 31 (suppl 2). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/gait-and-cognition-mapping-the-global-and-discrete-relationships-in-ageing-and-neurodegenerative-disease/. Accessed June 14, 2025.« Back to 2016 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/gait-and-cognition-mapping-the-global-and-discrete-relationships-in-ageing-and-neurodegenerative-disease/