Differential associations of regional cerebellar volume with gait speed and working memory

The relationship between gait speed and working memory is well-understood in older adults. However, it remains to be determined whether this relationship also exists in younger adults; and there is little known regarding the possible neural mechanism underlying the association between gait speed and working memory. The aims of this study are to determine if there is: (1) an association between gait speed and working memory performance; and (2) a mediating role of cerebellar subregion volume in the correlation between gait speed and working memory in healthy younger adults. 1054 younger adults (28.7 ± 3.6 years) from the Human Connectome Project were included in the analyses. A four-meter gait test was used to assess gait speed. The 2-back task was used to measure working memory performance [accuracy and response time (RT)]. T1-weighted structural MRI data (obtained using Siemens 3 T MRI scanner) was used to assess cerebellar subregion volumes. Linear regression and mediation analysis were used to examine the relationships between the variables after controlling for age, sex, and education. There was no association between gait speed and 2-back working memory performance in younger adults. Greater Crus I and whole cerebellar volumes were associated with better 2-back working memory accuracy. Greater VIIIa volume was associated with faster gait speed. Greater Crus 1 and VIIIa volumes were also associated with higher fluid cognition. The present study suggests that specific subregions of the cerebellar volumes are distinctively associated with gait speed and working memory performance in healthy younger adults.