Gait speed and cognitive decline over 2 years in the Ibadan study of aging

AbstractBackgroundThe evidence suggesting that gait speed may represent a sensitive marker for cognitive decline in the elderly requires support from diverse racial groups.ObjectiveWe investigated the relationship between gait speed and cognitive decline over 2 years in a community dwelling sample of elderly Africans.MethodsData are from the Ibadan study of aging (ISA) conducted among a household multi-stage probability sample of 2149 Yoruba Nigerians aged 65 years or older. Gait speed was measured as the time taken to complete a 3 or 4m distance at normal walking speed. We assessed cognitive functions with a modified version of the 10-word learning list and delay recall test, and examined the relationship between baseline gait speed, as well as gait speed changes, and follow-up cognition using multiple linear regression and longitudinal analyses using random effects.ResultsApproximately 71% of 1461 participants who were dementia free and who had their gait speed measured at baseline (2007) were successfully followed up in two waves (2008 and 2009). Along with increasing age, poor health and economic status, a slower baseline gait speed was independently associated with poorer follow-up cognition in both linear regression (1.2 words, 95% CI=0.48–2.0) and longitudinal analyses (0.8 words, 95% CI=0.44–1.2). Also, a greater change in gait speed between 2007 and 2009 was associated with the worst follow-up cognition (0.3 words, 95% CI=0.09–0.51).ConclusionThe finding that a substantial change in gait speed was associated with reduced cognitive performance is of potential importance to efforts aimed at early identification of cognitive disorders in this population

Psychotic symptoms are associated with physical health problems independently of a mental disorder diagnosis: Results from the WHO World Health Survey

This study explored whether physical health problems are related to psychotic symptoms independently of a mental disorder diagnosis. A total of 224,254 subjects recruited for the World Health Organization World Health Survey were subdivided into those with both a lifetime diagnosis of psychosis and at least one psychotic symptom in the 12 months prior to the evaluation, those with at least one psychotic symptom in the past 12 months but no lifetime diagnosis of psychosis, and those without psychotic symptoms in the past 12 months and without a lifetime diagnosis of psychosis. The three groups were compared for the presence of medical conditions, health problems, and access to health care. Medical conditions and health problems (angina, asthma, arthritis, tuberculosis, vision or hearing problems, mouth/teeth problems, alcohol consumption, smoking, and accidents), medication consumption, and hospital admissions (but not regular health care visits) were more frequent in individuals with psychotic symptoms but no psychosis diagnosis, compared to those with no symptoms and no diagnosis. The number of medical conditions increased with the number of psychotic symptoms. Given the sample analyzed, this trend seems to be independent from the socio-economic development of the country or the specific health care systemThis work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, CIBERSAM, Madrid Regional Government (S2010/BMD- 2422 AGES), European Union Structural Funds, Fundación Alicia Koplowitz, Fundación Mutua Madrileña, ERA-NET NEURON (Network of European Funding for Neuroscience Research) and theWorld Health Organizatio

Additional file 1: of A global assessment of the gender gap in self-reported health with survey data from 59 countries

Country surveys. (DOCX 14 kb