Joint developmental trajectories and temporal precedence of physical function decline and cognitive deterioration: A longitudinal population-based study

Frontiers in Psychology

article

Xiao Wei¹  Heng Liu¹  Li Yang¹  Zihan Gao¹  Jinke Kuang¹  Kexin Zhou¹  Mengfan Xu¹ 

[1] School of Nursing, Qingdao University

关键词: Cognitive Function;    physical function;    Ageing;    latent growth model;    Autoregressive cross-lagged model;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpsyg.2022.933886

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

Objectives: Previous studies primarily explored the unidirectional impact of cognition on physical function. However, the interplay between physical function and cognition and the temporal precedence in their predictive relationships have not been elucidated. We explored the bidirectional mechanism between physical function and cognition in a longitudinal dataset. Methods: A total of 1,365 participants in the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey assessed physical function and cognition in 2011 (T1), 2014 (T2), and 2018 (T3) by the Katz scale and the Chinese version of the Mini-Mental State Examination scale, respectively. Changes in the trajectories of physical function and cognition were examined using the latent growth model. The correlational and reciprocal relationships between physical function and cognition were examined using the parallel process latent growth model and autoregressive cross-lagged (ARCL) models. Results: Cognition and physical function decreased by an average of 0.096 and 0.017 points per year, respectively. Higher physical function was associated with better cognition at baseline (r = 0.237, p < 0.05), and longitudinal changes in physical function and cognition were positively correlated (r = 0.756, p < 0.05). ARCL analysis indicated that physical function at T1 positively predicted T2 cognitive function. However, this predictive relationship reversed between T2 and T3, whereby cognitive function at T2 predicted physical function at T3. Conclusions: Both physical function and cognition declined over time. Early identification and intervention in physical dysfunction among older adults could be critical to prevent further cognitive impairment and maintain functional independence. Hence regular functional assessment and individualised care plans are required to achieve healthy ageing.

【 授权许可】

CC BY