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Poor physical performance and impaired cognition have been associated with each other in both cross-sectional and prospective analyses. This study adds support for the connection, focusing on a specific population aged 90 and older. The 629 participants (mean age, 94; 73% women; 74% with more than a high school education) in the main analysis were part of a cohort-based study of aging. Between 2003 and 2009, participants underwent assessment of physical performance, including objective measures of walking speed, ability to arise from the seated position, balance, and grip strength.
Dementia was diagnosed in 162 participants (25.8%) according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, criteria using neurologica…