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Quantitative gait dysfunction and risk of cognitive decline and dementia
Verghese J, Wang C, Lipton RB, Holtzer R, Xue X.. Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry, 2007-01-19
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Background Identifying quantitative gait markers of preclinical dementia may lead to new insights into early disease stages, improve diagnostic assessments and identify new preventive strategies. Objective To examine the relationship of quantitative gait parameters to decline in specific cognitive domains as well as the risk of developing dementia in older adults. Methods We conducted a prospective cohort study nested within a community based ageing study. Of the 427 subjects aged 70 years and older with quantitative gait assessments, 399 were dementia-free at baseline. Results Over 5 years of follow-up (median 2 years), 33 subjects developed dementia. Factor analysis was used to reduce eight baseline quantitative gait parameters to three independent factors representing pace, rhythm and variability. In linear models, a 1 point increase on the rhythm factor was associated with further memory decline (by 107%), whereas the pace factor was associated with decline on executive function measured by the digit symbol substitution (by 29%) and letter fluency (by 92%) tests. In Cox models adjusted for age, sex and education, a 1 point increase on baseline rhythm (hazard ratio (HR) 1.48; 95% CI 1.03 to 2.14) and variability factor scores (HR 1.37; 95% CI 1.05 to 1.78) was associated with increased risk of dementia. The pace factor predicted the risk of developing vascular dementia (HR 1.60; 95% CI 1.06 to 2.41). Conclusion Our findings indicate that quantitative gait measures predict future risk of cognitive decline and dementia in initially non-demented older adults.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Verghese, J., Wang, C., Lipton, R. B., Holtzer, R., & Xue, X. (2007). Quantitative gait dysfunction and risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.2006.106914
Vancouver
Verghese J, Wang C, Lipton RB, Holtzer R, Xue X. Quantitative gait dysfunction and risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry. 2007. doi:10.1136/jnnp.2006.106914. PMID: 17237140.
BibTeX
@article{verghese2007-17237140,
author = {Verghese, J. and Wang, C. and Lipton, R. B. and Holtzer, R. and Xue, X.},
title = {{Quantitative gait dysfunction and risk of cognitive decline and dementia}},
journal = {Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry},
year = {2007},
doi = {10.1136/jnnp.2006.106914},
pmid = {17237140},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.2006.106914}
}
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Key findings
- Results Over 5 years of follow-up (median 2 years), 33 subjects developed dementia.
- In linear models, a 1 point increase on the rhythm factor was associated with further memory decline (by 107%), whereas the pace factor was associated with decline on executive function measured by the digit symbol substitution (by 29%) and letter fluency (by 92%) tests.
- In Cox models adjusted for age, sex and education, a 1 point increase on baseline rhythm (hazard ratio (HR) 1.48; 95% CI 1.03 to 2.14) and variability factor scores (HR 1.37; 95% CI 1.05 to 1.78) was associated with increased risk of dementia.
- Conclusion Our findings indicate that quantitative gait measures predict future risk of cognitive decline and dementia in initially non-demented older adults.
Why it matters
In this cohort of older adults, certain quantitative gait patterns at baseline were associated with later cognitive decline and a higher risk of developing dementia. The study reports associations and does not show that changing gait prevents dementia.
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Study details
- Study designcohort study
- Participants427
- Effect sizeHR 1.37; HR 1.60
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 66/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a cohort study following people over time. Scored zero for randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry: journal h-index 336 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A cohort study following people over time |
| 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 | 2007 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 427 participants |
| Effect reported | 3 / 3 | Effect reported with a statistic (interval, p-value, ratio or similar) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 799 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 38.0 citations a year over 21 year(s) since 2007 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 9.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 16 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 130 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Xiaonan Xue: h-index 61 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Albert Einstein College of Medicine: institution h-index 973 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 17237140) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 66 / 100 | — |
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