Imagine a beautifully choreographed dance where two dancers move in perfect sync, seamlessly blending their movements. In the same way, scientists have discovered a fascinating interplay between our cognitive and physical functions. A study called the Brain Networks and Mobility (B-NET) Study examined the relationship between 18 objective measures of cognition and physical function in a group of healthy older adults. Using an analytical technique called canonical correlation analysis, researchers found that there were two distinct functions that linked these domains. The first function, called ‘cognitive and physical speed,’ showed a connection between physical performance measures like walk speed and cognitive tasks such as semantic fluency and symbol coding. The second function, named ‘complex motor tasks and cognitive tasks,’ revealed links between postural sway tasks and cognitive abilities like verbal fluency and memory. These findings suggest that certain neural pathways may underlie both speed-related and complexity-related functions. Further research could explore whether these neural processes decline before functional losses occur, or if they could serve as targets for interventions aimed at preventing disability. To delve deeper into this captivating study, check out the full article!

Background and objectivesAlthough evidence exists that measures of mobility and cognition are correlated, it is not known to what extent they overlap, especially across various domains. This study aimed to investigate the intersection of 18 different objective cognitive and physical function measures from a sample of unimpaired adults aged 70 years and older.Research design and methodsCanonical correlation analysis was utilized to explore the joint cross-sectional relationship between 13 cognitive and 6 physical function measures in the baseline visit of the Brain Networks and Mobility Function (B-NET) Study (n = 192).ResultsMean age of participants was 76.4 years. Two synthetic functions were identified. Function 1 explained 26.3% of the shared variability between the cognition and physical function variables, whereas Function 2 explained 19.5%. Function 1 termed “cognitive and physical speed” related the expanded Short Physical Performance Battery (eSPPB), 400-m walk speed, and Dual Task gait speed measures of physical function to semantic fluency animals scores, Digit Symbol Coding (DSC), and Trail Making Test B. Function 2 termed “complex motor tasks and cognitive tasks” related the Force Plate Postural Sway Foam Task and Dual Task to the following cognitive variables: MoCA Adjusted Score, Verbal Fluency L words, Craft story immediate and delayed recall, and Trail Making Test B.Discussion and implicationsWe identified groups of cognitive and physical functional abilities that were linked in cross-sectional analyses, which may suggest shared underlying neural network pathway(s) related to speed (Function 1) or complexity (Function 2).Translational significanceWhether such neural processes decline before measurable functional losses or may be important targets for future interventions that aim to prevent disability also remains to be determined.

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