Fellin Timothy, Paxton Jessica, Thomas Adrian, Torres-Harding Susan
Department of Psychology, Roosevelt University.
Neuropsychology. 2025 Jan;39(1):44-53. doi: 10.1037/neu0000980. Epub 2024 Nov 7.
Older adults are more susceptible than the general population to developing metabolic syndrome (i.e., three or more cardiovascular risk factors [MetS]), physical limitations, and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Recent research has demonstrated that cognition may moderate the negative association between MetS and mobility dysfunction in older adults. This study sought to determine if cognition mediates the relationship between MetS and mobility dysfunction and if this relationship differs in older adults with a history of TBI.
Participants ( = 20,156) were from the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center's Uniform Data Set. Mediation models were tested to assess if processing speed, executive functioning, immediate memory, and delayed memory would independently mediate the association between MetS and mobility dysfunction.
Investigation of mediation models revealed that MetS had a significant indirect effect on mobility dysfunction through processing speed ( = .0674, 95% CI [.0412, .0953]) and executive functioning ( = .0354, 95% CI [.0228, .0493]). When TBI was included in the model as a moderator, MetS was not found to moderate the mediating effects of any of the cognitive variables. There were no significant indirect effects for immediate or delayed memory in either model.
Findings elucidate potential pathways by which MetS contributes to mobility dysfunction in older adults through specific reductions in processing speed and executive functioning capabilities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).
老年人比一般人群更容易患代谢综合征（即三种或更多心血管危险因素[MetS]）、身体功能受限和创伤性脑损伤（TBI）。最近的研究表明，认知可能会缓和老年人中MetS与运动功能障碍之间的负相关关系。本研究旨在确定认知是否介导了MetS与运动功能障碍之间的关系，以及这种关系在有TBI病史的老年人中是否不同。
参与者（n = 20,156）来自国家阿尔茨海默病协调中心的统一数据集。测试中介模型以评估处理速度、执行功能、即时记忆和延迟记忆是否会独立介导MetS与运动功能障碍之间的关联。
中介模型研究表明，MetS通过处理速度（β = 0.0674，95% CI [0.0412, 0.0953]）和执行功能（β = 0.0354，95% CI [0.0228, 0.0493]）对运动功能障碍有显著的间接影响。当将TBI作为调节变量纳入模型时，未发现MetS调节任何认知变量的中介作用。在两个模型中，即时记忆或延迟记忆均无显著间接影响。
研究结果阐明了MetS通过特定降低处理速度和执行功能能力导致老年人运动功能障碍的潜在途径。（PsycInfo数据库记录（c）2025美国心理学会，保留所有权利）
