- A new study suggests that older adults with a quicker natural walking pace showed better cognitive function and healthier brain measures than those who walked more slowly.
- A declining walking speed may serve as an early warning sign of cognitive decline, making it a potential tool for tracking brain health.
- The researchers note that walking requires complex coordination between the brain, nerves, and muscles, making it a strong overall indicator of healthy aging.
- However, while the findings suggest walking speed may help identify those at higher risk of cognitive decline, they do not prove that intentionally walking faster prevents dementia.
While walking may appear automatic for many people, it is actually a remarkably
Research has long shown that exercising the brain can support
By actively challenging the mind, individuals can strengthen their ‘cognitive reserve’, or ability to maintain thinking and memory skills in the face of age-related changes. Growing evidence links cognitive reserve to a reduced risk of cognitive decline, supporting the idea that cognitive reserve may help protect cognitive functioning during aging.
Walking has long been recognized as a simple way to support healthy aging, but how people walk may be just as informative as how much they walk. Now, a new study suggests that changes in walking gait could provide an early indication that neurological health is beginning to decline.
The findings, published in Neurology, suggest that older adults who maintain a faster natural walking pace tend to have healthier brains and are significantly less likely to experience cognitive decline than their slower-walking peers.
This adds to growing evidence that gait speed could serve as a practical, low cost marker for identifying those at increased risk of age-related cognitive impairment.
What makes a ‘super mover’?
The research team followed adults in their 80s and compared their walking speed with measures of brain health and cognitive performance.
Using datasets from the Health and Retirement Study International Network of Studies (HRS-INS), the LonGenity Study, and the RUSH Memory Aging Project (RUSH MAP), participants were designated as either ‘super movers’, meaning they had a fast walking speed, or ‘nonsuper movers’.
The researchers compared brain health and cognitive performance between ‘super movers’ and ‘nonsuper movers’ using measures including cognitive tests, MRI-based brain structure scans, and postmortem assessments of dementia-related brain pathology.
Participants with faster gait speeds demonstrated better overall brain health and were approximately 50% less likely to develop cognitive decline compared with those who walked more slowly.
Walking speed may reflect the coordinated function of multiple body systems, including the brain, muscles, cardiovascular system, and nervous system. As these systems age, subtle reductions in walking pace may become apparent before noticeable memory problems develop.
However, as an observational study, it does not suggest that walking faster directly prevents dementia. Instead, it highlights an association between mobility and brain health in older age.
“Our study found that older adults 80 years and older with faster walking speeds (‘super movers’) had about half the risk of developing cognitive impairment compared with their age peers,” study author Joe Verghese, MD, MS, FRCPI, Professor and Chair of Neurology at the Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook, NY, highlighted to Medical News Today.
“Surprisingly, they also maintained better cognitive function despite having similar levels of dementia-related brain pathology, suggesting they may possess resilience mechanisms that help preserve brain function. While our study does not establish cause and effect, it adds to growing evidence that mobility and brain health are closely linked.”
—Joe Verghese, MD, MS, FRCPI
Could improving walking speed benefit brain health?
Previous research has linked slower walking speed with an increased risk of
The latest findings strengthen the case for gait speed as a useful screening tool during routine healthcare visits. Unlike brain scans or specialized cognitive tests, measuring walking speed requires little equipment and takes only a few seconds.
However, the researchers emphasize that walking speed should not be viewed as a diagnostic test for dementia. Instead, it may help clinicians identify people who could benefit from additional cognitive assessment or interventions to preserve brain health.
Additionally, it is important to interpret gait speed alongside other aspects of a person’s health that could influence walking pace, such as joint disorders, heart disease, and overall fitness.
“Walking speed is a simple, inexpensive measure that already serves as a valuable indicator of overall health in geriatric practice,” Verghese added. “Slowing in walking noticed by an older adult or their clinician, particularly if accompanied by memory concerns, should prompt a more comprehensive clinical evaluation.”
Regular physical activity remains an effective strategy for maintaining both brain mobility and health as people age.
While it remains unclear whether deliberately increasing walking speed could reduce dementia risk, maintaining physical function throughout later life is widely recommended as part of a healthy aging strategy.
“Regular physical activity, especially aerobic and strength training exercises, along with good control of vascular risk factors such as high blood pressure and diabetes, can support both mobility and brain health,” said Joe Verghese, MD, MS, FRCPI.
“Maintaining social engagement, getting adequate sleep, and following a healthy diet may also contribute to healthy cognitive aging,” he added.
What the study may be missing
While the study suggests a strong association between mobility and brain health in older age, it cannot prove that faster walking causes better cognitive health, as it was an observational study.
Instead, walking speed may simply reflect underlying brain health rather than directly influencing it.
“Walking depends on the coordinated function of multiple brain regions involved in movement, attention, and executive function, making gait speed a sensitive indicator of brain health. I view slower walking primarily as a marker of the underlying biological processes that contribute to both physical and cognitive aging, rather than a direct cause of cognitive decline.”
—Joe Verghese, MD, MS, FRCPI
Further research will be necessary to determine whether interventions that improve gait speed can also reduce the risk of cognitive decline. Additionally, the researchers note that walking pace is only one component of healthy aging and should not be interpreted in isolation.
Still, the study adds to growing evidence that a person’s usual walking pace may offer valuable insights into brain health during older age.
Although more research is needed, gait speed is emerging as a simple and accessible measure that may help identify older adults at higher risk of cognitive decline, potentially allowing earlier monitoring and intervention to support healthy brain aging.
