Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41732800›Full record

ArticleAlzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association2026

Rising energetic cost of walking predicts cognitive impairment.

Ryan J Dougherty, Jiangxia Wang, Qu Tian, Eleanor M Simonsick, Luigi Ferrucci, Jennifer A Schrack

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Ryan J DoughertyDepartment of Kinesiology and Health, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8640-9549
Jiangxia WangDepartment of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Qu TianIntramural Research Program, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Eleanor M SimonsickIntramural Research Program, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Luigi FerrucciIntramural Research Program, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Jennifer A SchrackDepartment of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

Funding

Energy expenditure, cognitive function, and biomarker features of Alzheimer's diseaseK01AG080122 · NIA · RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIV OF N.J. · PI Ryan James Dougherty · 2023 to 2026
$501k
NIA NIH HHS K01 AG080122
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe energetic cost of walking increases with age and is linked to physical function impairment, but its relation to cognitive impairment is unknown.

methodsA total of 687 initially cognitively normal older adults (mean age 74.0 ± 7.2 years, 52% women) underwent repeated walking energy expenditure assessments (V̇O

resultsNinety-one participants (13%) progressed to cognitive impairment. Progressors exhibited a steeper increase in energetic cost than non-progressors (B = 0.13; p = 0.003). Higher baseline cost predicted impairment among adults ≥75 years (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.00 to 1.20, p = 0.039), but not those aged 65 to 74 (HR = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.81 to 1.01, p = 0.089).

conclusionWalking efficiency provides a physiological link between mobility and cognitive health; preserving efficiency may reduce risk of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.

Indexed as

Cognitive DysfunctionEnergy MetabolismWalkingAgedAged, 80 and overAgingDisease ProgressionFemaleHumansMaleNeuropsychological TestsAlzheimer's diseasecognitioncognitive healthdementiagaitmetabolic cost of walkingmotor controlwalking economy

Identifiers

PMID41732800
PMCPMC12930224

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.