Higher Cognitive Reserve Connected With Lower Risk of Developing Mobility Impairment

At baseline, higher cognitive reserve was protective against developing incident mobility impairment among community-residing older adults (OAs), according to findings published in Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

OAs without dementia who received brain magnetic resonance imaging and underwent gait speed assessments during follow-up were included in the study.

Cognitive reserve was determined using the residuals approach and calculated as the variance in the Modified Mini-Mental Status Examination total score left after allocating for race, structural brain integrity, and education.

A validated cutoff score in gait speed of 0.8 m/s determined mobility impairment.

To examine longitudinal associations between baseline cognitive reserve and risk of developing mobility impairment across repeated assessments researchers utilized logistic regression models and general estimating equations.

At baseline, 237 study participants, who were 56% female, median age of 82 years, were free of mobility impairment. After mean 3.1 years follow up, 103 participants developed mobility impairment.

“Higher cognitive reserve at baseline was associated with a lower risk of developing incident mobility impairment,” wrote researchers. “Odds ratio (OR) = 0.819, 0.67-0.98, P = .038 (unadjusted); OR = 0.815, 0.67-0.99, P = .04 (adjusted for socio-demographic variables and depression); OR = 0.819, 0.68-0.88, P = .035 (adjusted for illness history); OR = 0.824, 0.68–0.99, P = .045 (adjusted for white matter hyperintensities); OR = 0.795, 0.65–0.95, P = .016 (adjusted for falls history).”

Study authors concluded that a lower risk of developing incident mobility impairment was linked to higher cognitive reserve among OAs.

Reference:
Holtxer R, Zhu X, Rosso AL, Rosano C. Cognitive reserve and risk of mobility in older adults. J Am Geritatr Soc. Published online August 17, 2022. doi:10.1111/jgs.17979