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Sensorimotor measures predict longitudinal cognitive decline and correlate with CSF and plasma biomarkers
Semere Bekena, Ramkrishna Kumar Singh, Yu Zhu, David Carr, Ganesh Muneshwar Babulal. Innovation in Aging, 2025-12-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Abstract Identifying early markers of cognitive decline in cognitively normal older adults is critical for dementia prevention. Sensorimotor measures such as gait speed, grip strength, and reaction time may serve as accessible, sensitive indicators of current and future cognitive impairment. This study examined associations between baseline sensorimotor function and cognitive performance and decline, assessed by the Preclinical Alzheimer Cognitive Composite (PACC), in cognitively normal older adults. In this prospective cohort study, 246 cognitively normal older adults from the DRIVES Project completed baseline assessments of grip strength, gait speed, simple reaction time, and PACC scores. Linear mixed-effects models adjusted for demographic, genetic, and neighborhood depravity level. Cross-sectional analyses examined associations between sensorimotor measures and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers of amyloid and tau pathology, and plasma neurofilament light chain (NfL), where available. Participants (mean age: 74.9 ± 5.17 years; 48.8% female) followed on average for 4 years had a mean baseline PACC score of 1.06 ± 0.50. Cross-sectionally, slower gait speed was associated with higher CSF tau/Aβ42 ratio (p = 0.027), CSF tTau/Aβ42 ratio (p = 0.009), and plasma NfL (p = 0.024). Slower reaction time predicted lower baseline PACC scores (p = 0.028). Longitudinally, low grip strength (p = 0.002) and slow gait speed (p < 0.001) predicted lower cognitive performance, with slow gait speed predicting faster decline (p = 0.015). Simple sensory-motor function measures are associated with current and future cognitive performance, supporting their role in early identification of older adults at risk for cognitive decline.
Key findings
- Cross-sectionally, slower gait speed was associated with higher CSF tau/Aβ42 ratio (p = 0.027), CSF tTau/Aβ42 ratio (p = 0.009), and plasma NfL (p = 0.024).
- Simple sensory-motor function measures are associated with current and future cognitive performance, supporting their role in early identification of older adults at risk for cognitive decline.
Why it matters
In cognitively normal older adults, slower gait speed was linked to higher CSF tau/Aβ42 and tTau/Aβ42 ratios and plasma NfL, and slower reaction time predicted lower baseline PACC scores. These simple sensorimotor measures may help identify people at risk of cognitive decline, but the study does not test any treatment or prevention.
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Study details
- Study designcohort study
- Effect size48.8%
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 40/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a cohort study following people over time. 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 (Innovation in Aging) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Innovation in Aging: journal h-index 48 (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 | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| 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 | 0 / 7 | Cited 0 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.0 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 0 / 6 | Cited 0.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 0 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Ganesh Muneshwar Babulal: h-index 31 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Washington University in St. Louis: institution h-index 1,962 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 1 / 2 | Not in PubMed, but has a DOI |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 40 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
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.
APA 7th
Bekena, S., Singh, R. K., Zhu, Y., Carr, D., & Babulal, G. M. (2025). Sensorimotor measures predict longitudinal cognitive decline and correlate with CSF and plasma biomarkers. Innovation in Aging. https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igaf122.4258
Vancouver
Bekena S, Singh RK, Zhu Y, Carr D, Babulal GM. Sensorimotor measures predict longitudinal cognitive decline and correlate with CSF and plasma biomarkers. Innovation in Aging. 2025. doi:10.1093/geroni/igaf122.4258.
BibTeX
@article{bekena2025-e50209fd,
author = {Bekena, Semere and Singh, Ramkrishna Kumar and Zhu, Yu and Carr, David and Babulal, Ganesh Muneshwar},
title = {{Sensorimotor measures predict longitudinal cognitive decline and correlate with CSF and plasma biomarkers}},
journal = {Innovation in Aging},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1093/geroni/igaf122.4258},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igaf122.4258}
}