Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2010 May 19:10:25.
doi: 10.1186/1471-2318-10-25.

Changes in executive functions and self-efficacy are independently associated with improved usual gait speed in older women

Teresa Liu-Ambrose  1 , Jennifer C Davis, Lindsay S Nagamatsu, Chun Liang Hsu, Lindsay A Katarynych, Karim M Khan
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Changes in executive functions and self-efficacy are independently associated with improved usual gait speed in older women

Teresa Liu-Ambrose et al. BMC Geriatr. .

Abstract

Background: Improved usual gait speed predicts substantial reduction in mortality. A better understanding of the modifiable factors that are independently associated with improved gait speed would ensure that intervention strategies are developed based on a valid theoretical framework. Thus, we examined the independent association of change in executive functions and change in falls-related self-efficacy with improved gait speed among community-dwelling senior women.

Methods: A secondary analysis of the 135 senior women aged 65 to 75 years old who completed a 12-month randomized controlled trial of resistance training. Usual gait speed was assessed using a 4-meter walk. Three executive processes were assessed by standard neuropsychological tests: 1) set shifting; 2) working memory; and 3) selective attention and response inhibition. A linear regression model was constructed to determine the independent association of change in executive functions and falls-related self-efficacy with change in gait speed.

Results: Improved selective attention and conflict resolution, and falls-related self-efficacy, were independently associated with improved gait speed after accounting for age, global cognition, baseline gait speed, and change in quadriceps strength. The total variance explained was 24%.

Conclusions: Interventions that target executive functions and falls-related self-efficacy, in addition to physical functions, to improve gait speed may be more efficacious than those that do not.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00426881.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Cesari M, Kritchevsky SB, Penninx BW, Nicklas BJ, Simonsick EM, Newman AB, Tylavsky FA, Brach JS, Satterfield S, Bauer DC. Prognostic value of usual gait speed in well-functioning older people--results from the Health, Aging and Body Composition Study. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2005;53(10):1675–1680. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2005.53501.x. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Lord S, Ward J, Williams P, Anstey K. Physiological factors associated with falls in older community-dwelling women. Journal of American Geriatrics Society. 1994;42:1110–1117. - PubMed
    1. Dargent-Molina P, Favier F, Grandjean H, Baudoin C, Schott A, Hausherr E, Meunier P, Breart G, Group E. Fall-related factors and risk of hip fracture: The EPIDOS prospective study. Lancet. 1996;348:145–149. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(96)01440-7. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Rosano C, Kuller LH, Chung H, Arnold AM, Longstreth WT Jr, Newman AB. Subclinical brain magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities predict physical functional decline in high-functioning older adults. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2005;53(4):649–654. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2005.53214.x. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Rosano C, Simonsick EM, Harris TB, Kritchevsky SB, Brach J, Visser M, Yaffe K, Newman AB. Association between physical and cognitive function in healthy elderly: the health, aging and body composition study. Neuroepidemiology. 2005;24(1-2):8–14. doi: 10.1159/000081043. - DOI - PubMed

Publication types

Associated data