Briggs R, et al. – The study aimed to determine the relationship between baseline depression and incident gait abnormalities, as well as between baseline gait abnormalities and incident depression at 2–year follow–up. The results of this study revealed that baseline gait disturbance, measured by TUG, predicted incident depression, defined by CES–D, in a population–representative cohort of community–dwelling older people. Possible biological mechanisms for this association include white matter disease and executive dysfunction.

Methods

• This study was conducted on 2,638 community-dwelling older people aged ≥60 years.

Results

• Researchers reported that 7% (179/2,638) had baseline depression and 11% (296/2,638) had a gait abnormality at Wave 1.
• They observed that the incidence of new-onset depression and gait abnormality at Wave 2 was 4% (95/2,364) and 13% (308/2,342) respectively.
• Logistic regression models exhibited that baseline gait disturbance was a significant predictor of incident depression at Wave 2 with an Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR) of 2.00 (95% CI: 1.18 - 3.40, p = 0.010, t=2.57, df=625), which was not attenuated after controlling for covariates.
• In addition, baseline depression was a predictor of incident gait abnormality at Wave 2 with an IRR of 1.68 (95% CI: 1.16 - 2.43, p = 0.006, t=2.75, df=625), however, this affiliation was no longer statistically significant when analysis was adjusted for clinical variables.