Some people walk slower, others walk faster. Some have really good memory for details, others – not so much. But would you believe that these are not just simple traits of personality? Scientists at the University of Edinburgh found that a combination of slow walking and difficulties with memory could be associated with a higher risk of dementia later in life.
Walking slowly can be a choice. But when it isn't, it might predict the risk of dementia. Image credit: mattbuck via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Connection: Walking, face memory, and dementia
A team of scientists studied the data of almost 50,000 people aged 60 years and older involved in 15 studies. All participants had Motoric Cognitive Risk (MCR), which is a condition which involves slow walking speed and self-reported memory difficulties.
Scientists were specifically looking for people who were suffering from a combination of both slow walking (walking slower than people of a similar age and sex) and noticable memory difficulties, hense the MCR condition. Scientists performed analysis of the data and discovered that people with MCR are facing more than doubled risk of developing dementia. The risk of cognitive impairment was increased by 76 % in the case of MCR.
MCR is not a rare condition. In fact, many people will find themselves walking slower and remembering things worse as they age. In many cases this is seen as a somewhat normal part of growing old. However, scientists urge us to take these symptoms seriously. They found that even the risk of mortality for people with MCR was 49 % higher. People who walk slowly and remember poorly are also 38 % more likely to fall, which is especially dangerous in the older population.
However, scientists have not drawn any conclusions yet. These studies were observational and the causal connection between MCR and the risk of dementia, mortality and falls has not been established. This means that more studies are needed, but in the future the risk of dementia may be predicted watching people walk and perform memory tests.
Dr Donncha Mullin, one of the authors of the study, said: “It is quick, cheap, and easy to check for MCR. Adding it to the assessment of people with memory problems could be a practical way to help doctors identify patients at risk of developing dementia, especially in settings with minimal or no access to the current tests used to diagnose dementia.”
In the future MCR tests could be performed clinically and could be used in combination with treatments that reduce the risk of dementia. Of course, before any of that becomes possible more studies are needed.
Source: University of Edinburgh