Imaging-based indices of Neuropathology and gait speed decline in older adults: the atherosclerosis risk in communities study
- 13 January 2021
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Brain Imaging and Behavior
- Vol. 15 (5), 2387-2396
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s11682-020-00435-y
Abstract
Imaging markers of cerebrovascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are implicated in mobility impairment in older adults, but few studies have examined these relationships longitudinally in a racially-diverse population-based sample. At Visit 5 (2011–13) of the ARIC Study, 1859 participants had usual pace gait speed (cm/s) assessed and brain MRI (mean age = 76.3, 28.5% Black) and PET (n = 343; mean age = 75.9, 42.6% Black) measures including total/regional brain volume (cm3), white matter hyperintensities (WMH; cm3), infarcts (present/absent), microbleeds (count) and global beta-amyloid (Aβ). Participants returned at Visit 6 (n = 1264, 2016–17) and Visit 7 (n = 1108, 2018–19) for follow-up gait speed assessments. We used linear regression to estimate effects of baseline infarct presence, higher microbleed count, and a one interquartile range (IQR) poorer measures of continuous predictors (−1 IQR total brain volume, temporal-parietal lobe meta region of interest(ROI); +1 IQR WMH volume, global Aβ SUVR) on cross-sectional gait speed and change in gait speed adjusting for age, sex, education, study site, APOE e4, estimated intracranial volume, BMI, and cardiovascular risk factors. Cross-sectionally, slower gait speed outcome was associated with higher WMH volume, −3.38 cm/s (95%CI:-4.71, −2.04), infarct presence, −5.60 cm/s (−7.69, −3.51), microbleed count, −2.20 cm/s (−3.20, −0.91), smaller total brain volume, −9.26 cm/s (−12.1, −6.43), and smaller temporal-parietal lobe ROI -6.28 cm/s (−8.28, −4.28). Longitudinally, faster gait speed outcome decline was associated with higher WMH volume, −0.27 cm/s/year, (−0.51, −0.03) and higher global Aβ SUVR, −0.62 cm/s/year (−1.20, −0.03). Both cerebrovascular and AD pathology may contribute to mobility decline commonly seen with aging.Keywords
Funding Information
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (HHSN268201700001I - HHSN268201700004I)
- National Institutes of Health (HHSN268201700001I - HHSN268201700004I, U01 2U01HL096812, U01 2U01HL096814, U01 2U01HL096899, U01 2U01HL096902, U01 2U01HL096917)
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHSN268201700001I - HHSN268201700004I)
- National Institute on Aging (R01 AG040282, K24 AG052573)
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