Relationship between Physical Performance and Cognitive Function in Malaysian Older Persons

Muhammad Iqbal  Shaharudin; Muhammad Azwan  Azri; Mohd Ikhmal Hanif  Abdul Khalid; Nur Fatin Nabila  Abd Rahman; Ganesh Sundaram  Subramanian; Muhammad Yusuf  Shaharudin

It is inevitable for older persons to experience a loss in physical performance and cognitive function because of the ageing process. The reduction of muscle mass that comes with ageing is linked to a decrease in physical performance. Ageing has also been associated with a decline in cognitive function. Multiple studies have found a relationship between physical performance deterioration and cognitive function deterioration. This research aims to see if there's a link between demographic characteristics, physical performance assessments, and cognitive function among Malaysian older persons. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 37 community-dwelling older persons aged 60 years old and above. Written consents were collected from participants. Demographic information, physical performance test and cognitive function test were collected. Using SPSS® version 28, the data was analysed using Spearman's Rho, and One Way ANOVA. The Timed Up Go test (TUG) and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) were strongly associated. HGT, on the other hand, shows no link between MMSE and HGT. There is statistically significant, indicating that cognitive levels were influenced by the level of education level, F(2,34) = 6.45, p = 0.004. More tests that demonstrate the link between physical performance and cognitive function should be included. This will provide healthcare providers with a variety of choices in selecting the best outcome measure for evaluating an older person`s physical and cognitive function. Early diagnosis of physical and cognitive function levels will further empower early intervention in the older person.

Baumgart, M., Snyder, H. M., Carrillo, M. C., Fazio, S., Kim, H., & Johns, H. (2015). Summary of the evidence on modifiable risk factors for cognitive decline and dementia: A population-based perspective. Alzheimer’s and Dementia, 11(6), 718–726.
Beaudart, C., Reginster, J., Buckinx, F., Schoene, D., Hirani, V., Cooper, C., Kanis, J. A., Rizzoli, R., Mccloskey, E., Cederholm, T., Cruz-jentoft, A., & Freiberger, E. (2016). ScienceDirect Assessment of muscle mass , muscle strength and physical performance in clinical practice?: An international survey. 7, 243–246.
Best, J. R., Davis, J. C., & Liu-ambrose, T. (2015). Longitudinal Analysis of Physical Performance, Functional Status, Physical Activity, and Mood in Relation to Executive Function in Older Adults Who Fall.
Bettio, L. E. B., Rajendran, L., & Gil-Mohapel, J. (2017). The effects of aging in the hippocampus and cognitive decline. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 79, 66–86.
Busse, A., Hensel, A., Guhne, U., Angermeyer, M. C., & Riedel-Heller, S. G. (2006). Mild cognitive impairment: Long-term course of four clinical subtypes. Neurology, 67(12), 2176–2185.
Cheng, S. (2016). Cognitive Reserve and the Prevention of Dementia?: the Role of Physical and Cognitive Activities. Current Psychiatry Reports.
Coelho-Junior, H. J., Rodrigues, B., Gonçalves, I. O., Asano, R. Y., Uchida, M. C., & Marzetti, E. (2018). The physical capabilities underlying timed “Up and Go” test are time-dependent in community-dwelling older women. Experimental Gerontology, 104, 138–146.
Di Carlo, A., Lamassa, M., Baldereschi, M., Inzitari, M., Scafato, E., Farchi, G., & Inzitari, D. (2007). CIND and MCI in the Italian elderly. Neurology, 68(22), 1909 LP – 1916.
Elkins, J. S., Longstreth, W. T., Manolio, T. A., Newman, A. B., Bhadelia, R. A., & Johnston, S. C. (2006). Education and the cognitive decline associated with MRI-defined brain infarct. Neurology, 67(3), 435–440.
Eshkoor, S. A., Hamid, T. A., Mun, C. Y., & Ng, C. K. (2015). Mild cognitive impairment and its management in older people. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 10, 687–693.
Evans, D. A., Beckett, L. A., Albert, M. S., Hebert, L. E., Scherr, P. A., Funkenstein, H. H., & Taylor, J. O. (1993). Level of education and change in cognitive function in a community population of older persons. Annals of Epidemiology, 3(1), 71–77.
Folstein, M. F., Folstein, S. E., & McHugh, P. R. (1975). A practical state method for. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 12, 189–198.
Freiberger, E., De vreede, P., Schoene, D., Rydwik, E., Mueller, V., Frändin, K., & Hopman-Rock, M. (2012). Performance-based physical function in older community-dwelling persons: A systematic review of instruments. Age and Ageing, 41(6), 712–721.
Ibrahim, A., Singh, D. K. A., & Shahar, S. (2017). ‘Timed Up and Go’ test: Age, gender and cognitive impairment stratified normative values of older adults. PLoS ONE, 12(10).
Ibrahim, A., Singh, D. K. A., Shahar, S., & Omar, A. (2017). Timed up and go test combined with selfrated multifactorial falls risk questionnaire and sociodemographic factors predicts falls among community-dwelling older adults better than the timed up and go test on its own. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, 10, 1–8.
Keller, K., & Engelhardt, M. (2013). Strength and muscle mass loss with aging process . Age and strength loss. 3(4), 346–350.
Kennedy, G., Hardman, R. J., MacPherson, H., Scholey, A. B., & Pipingas, A. (2016). How Does Exercise Reduce the Rate of Age-Associated Cognitive Decline? A Review of Potential Mechanisms. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 55(1), 1–18.
Kirk-Sanchez, N. J., & McGough, E. L. (2013). Physical exercise and cognitive performance in the elderly: Current perspectives. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 9, 51–62.
Lafayette Instrument. (2004). JAMAR HAND DYNAMOMETER User Instructions (pp. 1–8).
Leibovici, D., Ritchie, K., Ledésert, B., & Touchon, J. (1996). Does education level determine the course of cognitive decline? Age and Ageing, 25(5), 392–397.
Manini, T. M., & Clark, B. C. (2012). Dynapenia and aging: An update. Journals of Gerontology - Series A Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 67 A(1), 28–40.
Mendonca, G. V., Pezarat-Correia, P., Vaz, J. R., Silva, L., & Heffernan, K. S. (2017). Impact of Aging on Endurance and Neuromuscular Physical Performance: The Role of Vascular Senescence. Sports Medicine, 47(4), 583–598.
Mijnarends, D. M., Meijers, J. M. M., Halfens, R. J. G., Borg, T. S., Luiking, Y. C., Verlaan, S., Schoberer, D., Cruz Jentoft, A. J., Van Loon, L. J. C., & Schols, J. M. G. A. (2013). Validity and Reliability of Tools to Measure Muscle Mass, Strength, and Physical Performance in Community-Dwelling Older People: A Systematic Review. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 14(3), 170–178.
Park, S. H. (2018). Tools for assessing fall risk in the elderly: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Aging Clinical and Experimental Research, 30(1), 0.
Podsiadlo, D., & Richardson, S. (1991). The timed “Up & Go”: a test of basic functional mobility for frail elderly persons. J Am Geriatr Soc, 39(2), 142–148.
Rantanen, T., Guralnik, J. M., Foley, D., & Masaki, K. (2010). Midlife Hand Grip Strength as a Predictor. Journal of American Medical Association, 281(6), 3–5.
Reuter, S. E., Massy-Westropp, N., & Evans, A. M. (2011). Reliability and validity of indices of hand-grip strength and endurance. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 58(2), 82–87.
Ronald, C. P. (2016). Mild Cognitive Impairment. American Academy of Neurology, April, 404–418.
Schumacher, V., & Bruin, E. D. De. (2015). Does multicomponent physical exercise with simultaneous cognitive training boost cognitive performance in older adults?? A 6-month rando mized controlled trial with a 1-year follow-up. 1335–1349.
Shumway-Cook, A., Brauer, S., & Woollacott, M. (2000). Predicting the probability for falls in community-dwelling older adults using the Timed Up & Go Test. Physical Therapy, 80(9), 896–903.
Spartano, N. L., Lyass, A., Larson, M. G., Tran, T., Andersson, C., Blease, S. J., Esliger, D. W., Vasan, R. S., & Murabito, J. M. (2019). Objective physical activity and physical performance in middle-aged and older adults. Experimental Gerontology, 119(December 2018), 203–211.
Sternang, O., Reynolds, C. A., Finkel, D., Ernsth-Bravell, M., Pedersen, N. L., & Aslan, D. A. K. (2016). Grip strength and cognitive abilities: Associations in old age. Journals of Gerontology - Series B Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 71(5), 841–848.
Takahashi, T., Sugie, M., Nara, M., Koyama, T., Obuchi, S. P., Harada, K., Kyo, S., & Ito, H. (2017). Femoral muscle mass relates to physical frailty components in community-dwelling older people. Geriatrics and Gerontology International, 17(10), 1636–1641.
Tieland, M., Trouwborst, I., & Clark, B. C. (2018). Skeletal muscle performance and ageing. Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, 9(1), 3–19.
Trombetti, A., Reid, K. F., Hars, M., Herrmann, F. R., Pasha, E., Phillips, E. M., & Fielding, R. A. (2016). Age-associated declines in muscle mass, strength, power, and physical performance: impact on fear of falling and quality of life. Osteoporosis International, 27(2), 463–471.
Tsai, J. C., Chen, C. W., Chu, H., Yang, H. L., Chung, M. H., Liao, Y. M., & Chou, K. R. (2016). Comparing the Sensitivity, Specificity, and Predictive Values of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and Mini-Mental State Examination When Screening People for Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia in Chinese Population. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 30(4), 486–491.
Won, H., Singh, D. K. A., Din, N. C., & Badrasawi, M. (2014). Relationship between physical performance and cognitive performance measures among community-dwelling older adults. Clinical Epidemiology, 6, 343–350.

In-Text Citation: (Shaharudin et al., 2022)
To Cite this Article: Shaharudin, M. I., Azri, M. A., Khalid, M. I. H. A., Rahman, N. F. N. A., Subramanian, G. S., & Shaharudin, M. Y. (2022). Relationship between Physical Performance and Cognitive Function in Malaysian Older Persons. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 12(10), 2353 – 2362.

Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s)
Published by HRMARS (www.hrmars.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode

International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences

Open Access Journal

Relationship between Physical Performance and Cognitive Function in Malaysian Older Persons

Muhammad Iqbal Shaharudin, Muhammad Azwan Azri, Mohd Ikhmal Hanif Abdul Khalid, Nur Fatin Nabila Abd Rahman, Ganesh Sundaram Subramanian, Muhammad Yusuf Shaharudin

Further Information

Our Journals

Get intouch with us