By
Jenny Hope
Last updated at 12:37 PM on 16th February 2012
Middle-aged people who walk slowly and have a poor grip could be at greater risk of dementia or stroke in later life, researchers have warned.
Simple tests of physical ability may give clues as to who is most likely to go on to develop disorders such as Alzheimer’s and, to a lesser extent, suffer a stroke, they say.
Their study involved monitoring more than 2,400 participants with an average age of 62 over 11 years.
Tight grip: Research has found that simple tests on things like how fast a person walks may help doctors determine how likely that person might suffer dementia or a stroke
Those with a slower walking speed were
found to be one and a half times more likely to develop dementia over
the age of 65 compared with those who were more speedy.
People with a stronger grip had a 42
per cent lower risk of stroke or a mini-stroke – known as a transient
ischemic attack (TIA) – over the age of 65, although the risk was not
cut at younger ages.
Lead researcher Dr Erica Camargo said
this level of testing could be routinely carried out by primary care
physicians and GPs. ‘These are basic office tests which can provide
insight into risk of dementia and stroke and can be easily performed by a
neurologist or general practitioner,’ she added.
Participants in the U.S. study were tested for walking speed, hand grip strength and cognitive function, and had brain scans.
During the follow-up period, 34 people developed dementia and 70 people had a stroke.
A scan showing a healthy brain (above) and one (below) revealing the warning signs of Alzheimer’s in red. Researchers in Boston are looking at new tests to find out if a person is more likely to suffer from the disease (file picture)
Dr Camargo, of Boston Medical Centre,
said: ‘While frailty and lower physical performance in elderly people
have been associated with an increased risk of dementia, we weren’t sure
how it impacted people of middle age.’
Researchers also found that slower
walking speed was associated with lower total cerebral brain volume –
fewer ‘grey’ cells and poorer performance on memory, language and
decision-making tests. Stronger grip strength was associated with
larger total cerebral brain volume as well as better performance on
cognitive tests asking people to identify similarities among objects.
‘Further research is needed to
understand why this is happening and whether preclinical disease could
cause slow walking and decreased strength,’ added Dr Camargo.
Dr Anne Corbett, of the Alzheimer’s
Society, said: ‘Before people take stock in the strength of a handshake
or the speed you cross the road, more research is needed to understand
why and what other factors are involved.
‘The good news is that there are many things to reduce your risk of developing dementia.
‘We recommend you eat a healthy
balanced diet, don’t smoke, maintain a healthy weight, take regular
exercise, and get your blood pressure and cholesterol checked
regularly.’
The research was presented yesterday
at the American Academy of Neurology’s 64th annual meeting in New
Orleans. Some 820,000 people are affected by dementia in the UK.
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Dr
Sharlin Ahmed, Research Liaison Officer at The Stroke Association says: ‘Around a
third of those who have a stroke are left with some kind of physical
disability, including hand weakness and difficulty walking.
‘However, this is
the first time we have seen research that looks at the presence of related
symptoms before a stroke.
‘This is an
interesting study, but a lot more research is needed before we can conclude
that strength of grip or walking speed can determine the risk of stroke.
‘We
encourage people to instead focus on lifestyle choices to lower their risk,
such as eating a healthy diet low in salt, giving up smoking, and exercising
regularly.’
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I’ve always believed that walking is one of the finest exercises you can do. It gets the blood flowing around the body and uses the lungs properly and cleanses the system. – Working class hero, eussr, 16/2/2012 07:44I think you may be onto something there, with the blood flow. I’m sure they had all medicals. Somebody should check what their blood pressures were/are. I’m not sure that all this worry about high blood presure is warranted without checking on peoples life style.drinking and diet should be taken into account. Could this obssession with BP and the drugs given for it be leading to more dementia.
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this is a ridiculous study and makes no sense. It has no correlation. Scientists are getting dumber and dumber just like the rest of the population
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I use a pair of hand grip spring things, so my grip is as strong as ever – does this mean it will prevent me from having a stroke? Somehow I doubt it will make any difference…
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What a load of old tosh!
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The slower walkers may just have arthritis and the faster walkers develop it in over 60’s.
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nordic walking is a great form of exercise for older people, and you need to grip the poles, which in turn help support you to walk faster and further !
– j*, UK, 15/2/2012 23:48
Isn’t that called skiing?
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Well I’ve always walked miles at a good pace, have a firm handshake and am middle aged too……. and have recently had a stroke. Go figure?!
– Shekobeach, UK, 16/2/2012 09:22……………………………………………………………same with husband although he’s slightly older but cholesterol 4.2 and right weight/height, and very active in loadbearing type work. The most honest thing was the consultant who said they had no idea what had caused it.
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Well I’ve always walked miles at a good pace, have a firm handshake and am middle aged too……. and have recently had a stroke. Go figure?!
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I’ve always believed that walking is one of the finest exercises you can do. It gets the blood flowing around the body and uses the lungs properly and cleanses the system. My father was a regular walker and was very active upto his death at 92.
I am following in his footsteps and surprise many people when they find out how old I am.
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