Study Finds Faster Walking Reduces Cognitive Decline in 80-Plus Adults

Researchers led by Dr. Joe Verghese and Dr. Alexander Mauskop reported that older adults who walked faster than their peers showed reduced risk of cognitive decline. The findings were based on analysis of data from the Health and Retirement Study, which followed almost four thousand participants aged 80 and above.

Participants classified as “super movers” because their walking speed matched that of individuals thirty years younger demonstrated better performance on cognitive tests. During the observation period, the fast walkers also received fewer new diagnoses of Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias compared with slower walkers, even though brain imaging revealed similar levels of structural change. The researchers published the results in a neurology journal and suggested that maintaining higher walking speed could be a simple strategy to preserve cognition in very old adults.