Slow walking in the elderly is a sign of mental illness

A recent study in Australia has found that elderly people who walk abnormally slowly should have their cognitive abilities evaluated medically.

The study, conducted by experts, included nearly 17,000 people over the age of 65 and found that participants who walked about 5 percent or more slower and also had memory problems had I were most likely to have dementia.

Study author Taya Collier, a research fellow at Monash University in Australia, said the findings highlight the importance of gait patterns in diagnosing dementia. The findings come after a 2020 study of nearly 9,000 American adults found a link between slow walking speed and memory loss and future risk of dementia.

Research shows that the relationship between walking speed and brain function may be due to the shrinkage of the right hippocampus of the brain. The hippocampus is the part of the brain responsible for learning, remembering, and the ability to find a way.

Also, previous studies have shown that aerobic exercises such as walking, running, swimming, cycling, etc. can enlarge the hippocampus and improve memory.