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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #307341
Title: Mobility and cognition: End points for dietary interventions in aging

Author
item MILLER, MARSHALL - Tufts University
item HAMILTON, DEREK - University Of New Mexico
item Joseph, James
item Shukitt-Hale, Barbara

Submitted to: Nutrition and Aging
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/1/2014
Publication Date: 11/24/2014
Citation: Miller, M.G., Hamilton, D.A., Joseph, J.A., Shukitt Hale, B. 2014. Mobility and cognition: End points for dietary interventions in aging. Nutrition and Aging. 2:213-222.

Interpretive Summary: The aim of this study was to develop a group of tests for evaluating, in human older adults, the effects of dietary supplements on mobility and cognition. Seventy six healthy adults, between the ages of 21 and 75, completed a 1-hour mobility and cognition assessment. Aspects of mobility such as balance and gait were measured using an instrumented treadmill system. A computer-based virtual water maze and a trail-making test were used to assess aspects of memory and cognition. Results showed that swaying during quiet standing increased with age. Preferred gait speed declined with age, and changes in the gait reveal an age-related increase in total double support during normal walking. In the virtual water maze, the time it took to locate a hidden platform increased with age; meanwhile, trail-making performance declined with age. Thus, these tests should prove to be a useful tool for testing the effect of dietary supplementation in older adults.

Technical Abstract: BACKGROUND: Healthy aging is associated with functional declines in mobility and cognition among both humans and non-human animals. OBJECTIVE: This study combines human measures of mobility and cognition to develop a test battery for evaluating the effects of dietary supplements among older adults. Selected measures parallel behavior tasks used to assess the efficacy of dietary interventions in rodent models of aging. METHODS: Seventy six healthy adults, between the ages of 21 and 75, completed a 1 hour mobility and cognition assessment. Postural sway and spatiotemporal gait parameters were measured using a Noraxon™ instrumented treadmill system. A computer-based virtual water maze and the trail-making test were used to assess spatial memory and executive function, respectively. RESULTS: Sway velocity during quiet standing increased with age. Preferred gait speed declined with age and changes in the gait cycle reveal an age-related increase in total double support during normal walking. In the virtual water maze, latency to locate a hidden or visible platform increased with age; meanwhile, probe test performance declined with age. CONCLUSIONS: Healthy adults show age-related declines in measures of mobility and cognition. These measures are a useful tool for translating research on dietary interventions to older adults.