# The Link Between Physical Function, \(\beta\)-Amyloid, and Cognitive Aging in Women
## 4 Discussion  
In this prospective study of cognitively healthy older women, we observed that (a) cognitive status was associated with brain A\(\beta\) load and years of education; (b) current FC performance was associated with sustained cognitive status for 2 years, although it \begin{table}
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**Parameter** & **Estimate** & **SE** & **\(t\) Statistic** & **\(p\) Value** \\ \hline TUG decline \(\times\) High A\(\beta\) load \(\times\) Time & \(-\)0.284 & 0.129 & \(-\)2.206 & 0.029 \({}^{*}\) \\ TUG decline \(\times\) Intermediate A\(\beta\) load \(\times\) Time & 0.183 & 0.122 & 1.492 & 0.138 \\ TUG decline \(\times\) Time & \(-\)0.044 & 0.033 & \(-\)1.346 & 0.180 \\ High A\(\beta\) load \(\times\) Time & \(-\)0.103 & 0.060 & \(-\)1.712 & 0.089 \\ Intermediate A\(\beta\) load \(\times\) Time & \(-\)0.135 & 0.084 & \(-\)1.607 & 0.110 \\ TUG decline \(\times\) High A\(\beta\) load & \(-\)2.444 & 0.736 & \(-\)3.320 & 0.001 \({}^{*}\) \\ TUG decline \(\times\) Intermediate A\(\beta\) load & \(-\)0.268 & 0.679 & \(-\)0.395 & 0.694 \\ ApoE4 carrier \(\times\) Time & 0.056 & 0.034 & 1.643 & 0.102 \\ Age \(\times\) Time & \(-\)0.006 & 0.005 & \(-\)1.148 & 0.253 \\ Education \(\times\) Time & 0.004 & 0.004 & 0.950 & 0.344 \\ FHS-CVD \(\times\) Time & \(-\)0.306 & 0.128 & \(-\)2.385 & 0.018 \({}^{*}\) \\ TUG decline & 0.161 & 0.211 & 0.763 & 0.447 \\ High A\(\beta\) load & \(-\)0.765 & 0.388 & \(-\)1.973 & 0.051 \\ Intermediate A\(\beta\) load & \(-\)0.654 & 0.423 & \(-\)1.548 & 0.125 \\ ApoE4 carrier & \(-\)0.122 & 0.218 & \(-\)0.561 & 0.576 \\ Age & \(-\)0.060 & 0.035 & \(-\)1.703 & 0.091 \\ Education & 0.087 & 0.025 & 3.481 & 0.001 \({}^{*}\) \\ FHS-CVD & 0.230 & 0.774 & 0.298 & 0.766 \\ Time & 0.496 & 0.363 & 1.368 & 0.173 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular} Abbreviations: ApoE, apolipoprotein E; FHS-CVD, Framingham Heart Study cardiovascular disease risk index; SUVR, Standardized Uptake Value Ratio; and TUG, timed up and go test. Decline group = last follow-up TUG result slower (TUG changes \(>\) 27\(\%\)) than baseline. High A\(\beta\) load (SUVR \(>\) 1.40); intermediate A\(\beta\) load (SUVR \(=\) 1.40-1.20). \({}^{*}p<\) 0.05.  
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Table 4: Association of change in functional capacity over time and \(\beta\)-amyloid load with longitudinal cognitive decline. Figure 3: Associations of change in functional capacity over time and \(\beta\)-amyloid load with cognitive decline. Abbreviations: PACC, Preclinical Alzheimer Cognitive Composite; SUVR, Standardized Uptake Value Ratio; and TUG, timed up and go test. Maintain/Improve TUG = last follow-up TUG result equal to (TUG changes \(\leq\) 27\(\%\)) or faster (TUG changes \(>\) 27\(\%\)) than baseline. Decline TUG = last follow-up TUG result slower (TUG changes \(>\) 27\(\%\)) than baseline. required maintenance as the initial impact subsided over 2 years; and (c) maintaining TUG performance over time was associated with better cognitive outcomes in women with high A\(\beta\) loads (SUVR \(\geq\) 1.42). Lifestyle and its underlying mechanisms have become a priority research field due to their immense effects on health outcomes and promising savings in healthcare costs. Among the main modifiable components of lifestyle, PA is considered a protective component against cognitive impairment, neurodegeneration, and dementia through mechanisms related to cardiovascular health [12; 26]; however, disentangling the specific contributions of PA to cognitive trajectories and brain pathologies remains a challenge. Although the number of human studies investigating if greater amounts of daily PA mitigate brain A\(\beta\) deposition has been limited, the finding of lower A\(\beta\) burden in older women with greater FC converges with previous studies [27; 28], but is inconsistent with other reports [29; 30]. Participants with different characteristics and PA measures could explain this variation across studies.