Slowing of gait and cognitive decline together is a predictor of dementia

A landmark study of more than 16,800 older people has found that a decline in both walking speed and cognition is a strong predictor of future dementia. The authors of the study, published in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Open, suggest simple memory and walking speed testing, done in health clinics, may allow early preventive measures to be put in place to prevent the individual and global cost of diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

Read the full story on the faculty news feed and see also JAMA invited commentary by Joe Verghese.

Healthy participants sought: Genes, Cognition, Brain Function and Schizophrenia

Image: WebMD

The Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre is seeking healthy volunteers between 35 and 65 to undertake a study examining the relationship between genetics, cognition, brain function and schizophrenia. We are interested in recruiting those with no personal or family history of schizophrenia, schizoaffective or bipolar disorder and those with no personal history, but who do have a first degree relative (children or siblings) with any of these illnesses. See more.