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Handgrip strength and cognitive decline in older Mexican Americans
Alfaro-Acha A, Al Snih S, Raji MA, Kuo YF, Markides KS, Ottenbacher KJ.. The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences, 2006-08-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Background Cognitive decline and dementia are associated with disability and premature death in old age. We examined whether low handgrip strength predicts subsequent cognitive decline in older Mexican Americans. Methods We worked with a 7-year prospective cohort of 2160 noninstitutionalized Mexican Americans aged 65 years or older from the Hispanic Established Population for the Epidemiological Study of the Elderly (H-EPESE) who had a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score > or = 21 at baseline. Measures included: (i) sociodemographic factors (age, gender, and education), handgrip strength, and near and distant visual impairment from baseline interview; and (ii) MMSE, body mass index (BMI), and medical conditions (stroke, heart attack, diabetes, depression, and hypertension) from four waves of data collection. Results Using general linear mixed models, we found a significant trend with scores in the lowest quartile of handgrip strength at baseline to be associated with lower MMSE scores over time (estimate = -1.28, standard error = 0.16; p Conclusion Older Mexican Americans with reduced handgrip strength at baseline demonstrated a statistically significant decline in cognitive function over a 7-year period. By contrast, participants in the highest handgrip strength quartile maintained a higher level of cognitive function.
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APA 7th
Alfaro-Acha, A., Al Snih, S., Raji, M. A., Kuo, Y. F., Markides, K. S., & Ottenbacher, K. J. (2006). Handgrip strength and cognitive decline in older Mexican Americans. The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/61.8.859
Vancouver
Alfaro-Acha A, Al Snih S, Raji MA, Kuo YF, Markides KS, Ottenbacher KJ. Handgrip strength and cognitive decline in older Mexican Americans. The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences. 2006. doi:10.1093/gerona/61.8.859. PMID: 16912105.
BibTeX
@article{alfaroacha2006-16912105,
author = {Alfaro-Acha, A. and Al Snih, S. and Raji, M. A. and Kuo, Y. F. and Markides, K. S. and Ottenbacher, K. J.},
title = {{Handgrip strength and cognitive decline in older Mexican Americans}},
journal = {The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences},
year = {2006},
doi = {10.1093/gerona/61.8.859},
pmid = {16912105},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/61.8.859}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Background Cognitive decline and dementia are associated with disability and premature death in old age.
- Results Using general linear mixed models, we found a significant trend with scores in the lowest quartile of handgrip strength at baseline to be associated with lower MMSE scores over time (estimate = -1.28, standard error = 0.16; p <.0001).
Why it matters
In this 7-year cohort of 2160 older Mexican Americans, those in the lowest quartile of handgrip strength at baseline showed greater decline in cognitive function over time. This shows an association between weak grip and cognitive decline, not that strength training prevents Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Study designprospective cohort
- Effect sizeor = 0.16
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 53/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a prospective cohort study, followed forward from enrollment. Scored zero for sample size, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | The Journals of Gerontology Series A: journal h-index 274 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A prospective cohort study, followed forward from enrollment |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2006 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 2 / 3 | Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 289 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 13.1 citations a year over 22 year(s) since 2006 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 2.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 4 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 42 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Kenneth J. Ottenbacher: h-index 76 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston: institution h-index 655 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 16912105) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 53 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1093/gerona/61.8.859
- PubMed: 16912105
- Original source →
- Free full text: The Journals of Gerontology Series A →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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