A study published in Lancet Healthy Longevity indicates that the ability to multitask while walking begins to decline around age 55, primarily due to cognitive rather than physical changes. This deterioration in dual-task walking—performing activities such as conversing while walking—may point to accelerated brain aging or pre-symptomatic neurodegenerative conditions, potentially serving as an early indicator of increased dementia risk. The research involved 640 participants aged 40 to 64 from the Barcelona Brain Health Initiative, who showed stable walking ability under normal conditions but displayed significant gait changes when asked to perform mental tasks simultaneously. Lead researcher Dr. Junhong Zhou noted that while dual-task performance tends to decline with age, some individuals over 60 still maintain robust capabilities, suggesting variability in cognitive resilience to aging. The findings emphasize the importance of dual-task walking as a simple yet effective measure to identify early cognitive decline, urging further research into lifestyle factors that could preserve these capabilities into older age. The study emphasizes the necessity for interventions that could mitigate cognitive decline and promote brain health as individuals age.
