Motoric cognitive risk syndrome and predictors of transition to dementia: A multicenter study

Introduction: To report clinical predictors of transition to dementia in motoric cognitive risk syndrome (MCR), a predementia syndrome characterized by cognitive complaints and slow gait. Methods: We examined if cognitive or motoric impairments predicted transition to dementia in 610 older adults with MCR from three cohorts. Association of cognitive (logical memory, clinical dementia rating, cognitive complaint severity, and Mini–Mental State Examination) and motoric factors (gait velocity) with dementia risk was computed using Cox models. Results: There were 156 incident dementias (134 Alzheimer's disease). In the pooled sample, logical memory (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.91), cognitive complaint severity (aHR 1.53), and Mini–Mental State Examination (aHR 0.75) predicted transition of MCR to dementia. Clinical dementia rating score ≥0.5 predicted dementia (aHR 3.18) in one cohort. Gait velocity did not predict dementia. Discussion: While MCR is a motoric-based predementia syndrome, severity of cognitive but not motoric impairments predicts conversion to dementia.