Interplay between cognition and mobility in older adults

Abstract

Mobility, the ability to move independently, is a critical function for a human being to live a normal life. Mobility impairment poses a major burden on the individual, family, and society as its prevalence increases worldwide with aging of the population. Gait has long been considered as an automatic motor task and this approach has been followed in clinical practice and in the research field. However, more recently studies have suggested that gait requires high-level cognitive function, leading to increased scientific interest in the association between gait and cognition. These findings have significant implications for the development of novel interventions to prevent mobility and cognitive decline among older adults. This article reviews the current literature on the interplay between gait and cognition and on how these findings should be applied for clinical evaluation and intervention to prevent functional decline in older adults.