Association between timed up-and-go and memory, executive function, and processing speed

Abstract

Objectives To determine which cognitive tests are independently associated with performance on the Timed Up-and-Go Test (TUG). Design Data were obtained from Wave 1 of The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA), a population-based study assessing health, economic, and social aspects of aging. Setting Community-dwelling adults completed a home based interview and a health center-based assessment. Participants TILDA participants aged 50 and older with a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of 10 or greater (N = 4,998). Measurements Participants completed a battery of cognitive assessments including the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Color Trails Test, word and letter fluency, choice reaction time, sustained attention, prospective memory, word recall, and picture memory. Linear regression was used to determine univariate and multivariate associations between TUG and each cognitive test. Results Slower TUG time was associated with poorer performance on all cognitive tests in univariate analysis (P