This study explored the prevalence of cognitive frailty in community-dwelling older adults and a comparison of cardiovascular fitness in older adults.
A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 390 community-dwelling older adults aged 65 years or over (mean: 73.01± 5.84 years, 68.46% female). Frailty phenotype and cognitive assessment (i.e., The Montreal Cognitive Assessment: MoCA) were classified into 4 groups: robust, cognitive impairment, frailty, and cognitive frailty. Further, all participants were required to perform a 6-minute walk test. ANOVA was conducted to evaluate the cardiovascular fitness in group differences.
Of 390 older adults, the prevalence rates of cognitive impairment, cognitive frailty, robust, and frailty were 77.18%, 12.31%, 10.00%, and 0.51%, respectively. Almost all participants with frailty showed cognitive impairment (n = 48, 96.00%). The frailty group (0.51%) was excluded from the analysis. A reduction in 6-minute walk distance was noted in older adults with cognitive frailty (260.78±97.86 m), followed by cognitive impairment (331.87±76.92), compared to the robust group (371.26±64.50) with a p-value of 0.01.Of 390 older adults, the prevalence rates of cognitive impairment, cognitive frailty, robust, and frailty were 77.18%, 12.31%, 10.00%, and 0.51%, respectively. Almost all participants with frailty showed cognitive impairment (n = 48, 96.00%). The frailty group (0.51%) was excluded from the analysis. A reduction in 6-minute walk distance was noted in older adults with cognitive frailty (260.78±97.86 m), followed by cognitive impairment (331.87±76.92), compared to the robust group (371.26±64.50) with a p-value of 0.01.
It is suggested that cognitive impairment may be the precursor of frailty. Further, cardiovascular fitness was supported by evidence to confirm that decreased cardiovascular fitness leads to cognitive frailty in older adults. Therefore, improvement in cardiovascular fitness might reduce the risk of cognitive impairment and development of cognitive frailty.It is suggested that cognitive impairment may be the precursor of frailty. Further, cardiovascular fitness was supported by evidence to confirm that decreased cardiovascular fitness leads to cognitive frailty in older adults.
Changes in cognitive performance may result in frailty in older adults. Therefore, improving in cardiovascular fitness e.g., exercise or increase in physical activity might increase cerebral blood flow as well as stimulate various aspects of brain function such as postural control, mechanoreceptors, and parasympathetic drive can lead to neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity changes resulting in decreasing or delaying cognitive impairment and frailty in older adults.
Older adults
Cardiovascular fitness
