Hu Nan, Yin Wupeng, Noon Rabeya Illyas, Alabdullatif Noof
Department of Biostatistics, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA.
Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2025 Jun 6;22(6):908. doi: 10.3390/ijerph22060908.
(1) Background: Gait speed (GS) and handgrip strength (HGS) have been identified as factors in cognitive impairment, depression, sleep problems, and quality of life. This study aims to comprehensively investigate the longitudinal relationship between physical functions (gait speed and handgrip strength) and cognitive functions, as well as cognitive decline, in middle-aged and older adults in China. (2) Methods: Using longitudinal data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), we analyzed 1903 subjects aged 60 and above with repeated measurements of GS, and 4218 subjects aged 45 and above with repeated measurements of HGS. The cognitive functions we considered included drawing ability, word recall, TICS-10, and an overall cognitive score (OCS). Mixed-effect logistic and linear regression were used to analyze the association between GS/HGS and cognitive functions in middle-aged and older adults with repeated measurements. (3) Results: A faster GS is associated with better drawing ability (OR = 1.33, = 0.045) and TICS-10 (OR = 1.60, = 0.024). A stronger HGS is associated with higher odds of drawing ability (OR = 1.36, = 0.012) and better TICS-10 (OR = 1.41, = 0.018). Both weak HGS and slow GS are significantly associated with a higher decline in cognitive function, while HGS is more predictive of the decline for women and GS is more predictive for men. (4) Conclusions: Both GS and HG are positively associated with cognitive functions cross-sectionally and longitudinally in middle-aged and older adults. Health interventions targeting HGS and GS may help improve cognitive functions. Future research is warranted to establish the causal relationship between these interventions and improvements in cognitive functions.
(1) 背景：步速（GS）和握力（HGS）已被确定为认知障碍、抑郁、睡眠问题和生活质量的影响因素。本研究旨在全面调查中国中老年人群体中身体功能（步速和握力）与认知功能以及认知衰退之间的纵向关系。(2) 方法：利用中国健康与养老追踪调查（CHARLS）的纵向数据，我们分析了1903名60岁及以上且步速有重复测量值的受试者，以及4218名45岁及以上且握力有重复测量值的受试者。我们考虑的认知功能包括绘图能力、单词回忆、TICS - 10和总体认知得分（OCS）。采用混合效应逻辑回归和线性回归分析步速/握力与有重复测量值的中老年人群体认知功能之间的关联。(3) 结果：更快的步速与更好的绘图能力（OR = 1.33， = 0.045）和TICS - 10（OR = 1.60， = 0.024）相关。更强的握力与更高的绘图能力几率（OR = 1.36， = 0.012）和更好的TICS - 10（OR = 1.41， = 0.018）相关。握力弱和步速慢均与认知功能的更高衰退显著相关，而握力对女性认知衰退的预测性更强，步速对男性认知衰退的预测性更强。(4) 结论：步速和握力在中老年人群体中与认知功能在横断面和纵向上均呈正相关。针对握力和步速的健康干预可能有助于改善认知功能。有必要开展进一步研究以确定这些干预措施与认知功能改善之间的因果关系。
