Relationship between physiological tremor and cognitive function in physically active older women

Abstract

[Purpose] This study aimed to compare the physiological tremor, grip strength, and cognitive function of sedentary and physically active older adults.[Methods] Twenty-four older adults aged ≥65 years participated in this study and were divided into the sedentary (76.5±4.4 years, n=12) and physically active (73.5±3.3 years, n=12) groups. Each group completed the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) for cognitive function assessment. Physiological tremor was measured using an accelerometer for both hands at rest and the left/right hand with a 1,000 g dumbbell on the palm in neutral positions and the elbow flexed at 90°. Physical fitness was measured by grip strength and completion of the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) and the 6-min walk test.[Results] The physically active group showed a significantly lower level of physiological tremor in both hands at rest and the left/right hand with a 1,000 g dumbbell on the palm (P<0.05) than that in the sedentary group. For cognitive function, the physically active group showed significantly higher scores than those in the sedentary group (P<0.001). No significant correlation was found between cognitive function and left/right grip strength (left: r = 0.117, P = 0.585; right: r = 0.230, P = 0.279), physiological tremor in both hands at rest (left: r = -0.524, P < 0.001; right: r = -0.508, P < 0.05), and the left/right hand with a 1,000 g dumbbell on the palm (left: r = -0.505, P < 0.05; right: r = -0.458, P < 0.05).[Conclusion] Physiological tremor of the hands has the potential to be a useful predictor of cognitive function in older adults.

Do Hand Exercises Influence Physiological Hand Tremor? An Observational Cohort Study on Healthy Young Adults

“…Considering that physical activity positively influences (i.e., reduces) physiological hand tremor [33], to avoid the influence of physical inactivity level on our sample, participants were included only if they reported being minimally active according to the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) [34] and be in possession of medical clearance to exercise, approved by their medical practitioner to define their healthy status [35]. Since previous research [33] reported a correlation between physical activity level and Body Mass Index (BMI), muscle mass, and body fat %, in accordance with ACSM guidelines for the clinical classification of participants [36], only participants with BMI ≤ 29.9 kg/m 2 were involved in the study. Psychological factors, such as mental fatigue, have been reported to influence hand tremor evaluation in clinical populations, such as those affected by essential tremors and Parkinson's disease [37,38], while non-clinical populations show no influence on the psychological factors of physiological hand tremors [31].…”