VASCULAR BURDEN PREDICTS GAIT, MOOD, AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTION DISTURBANCES IN OLDER ADULTS WITH MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT: RESULTS FROM THE GAIT AND BRAIN STUDY

摘要

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a major health concern because of its high prevalence, affecting up to 20% of older adults, and one-third of people with MCI will convert to dementia, with progressive loss of function and autonomy. Vascular burden is known to promote the conversion of MCI to dementia. It has been suggested that vascular factors may cause a loss of cognitive and motor functions through brain damage, in particular in the frontal lobes.5'6 Frontal lobe damage may be clinically expressed as frontal-subcortical dysfunctions, namely executive dysfunctions, gait disorders, and depression,5 although this triad of frontal-subcortical dysfunctions has not been specifically studied in people with MCI.