Study of Adults Over 80 Finds Faster Walkers Had Lower Cognitive Decline Risk

People in their 80s and older who walked faster than their peers had about a 50 percent lower risk of developing cognitive decline, according to a study published in the journal Neurology. NPR reported the findings on July 6, 2026. Researchers analyzed data from nearly 4,000 older adults in a long-term aging study.

Participants completed a timed walking test, and the fastest 9 percent, whose gait speed was at least 1.5 standard deviations above the average for their age group, were classified as super movers. Those individuals showed markedly lower rates of cognitive decline. Super movers also tended to preserve hippocampal volume as they aged.

Some super movers had Alzheimer's-related brain changes yet showed no symptoms, a finding also seen in other older adults. Dr. Sofiya Milman of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine said the biggest takeaway was that super movers are about 50 percent less likely to develop cognitive decline than their peers.

She defined a super mover as someone older than 80 who performs much better than peers. Joe Verghese, a study author, said fast walking is a marker that the brain and body are aging well. He added that regular exercise might put people on the pathway to becoming super movers.

Bonnie Tsui, a science writer, noted that muscle acts as an endocrine tissue and releases signaling molecules during movement that boost brain cell growth. Dr. Amit Saini, a Kaiser Permanente geriatrician, said walking increases heart rate and pumps blood to the brain and other systems.

Genetics accounts for about 50 percent of human lifespan, while research indicates nearly half of dementia cases could be prevented or delayed by addressing 14 modifiable risk factors.