Changes in walking speed could signal dementia

Friday June 15th, 2012

Subtle changes in walking speed among older people could signal early stages of dementia, new research has claimed.

Both slowness and variations in walking speed may indicate the onset of problems, researchers say.

A study in Neurology examined a technique that monitored walking to see if there was an association between speed and mild cognitive impairment (impairment).

Dr Hiroko Dodge, of Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Oregon, USA, and colleagues studied 93 people aged 70 and over who lived alone.

Of the participants, 54 had no cognitive impairment, 31 had non-memory related impairment and eight had memory-related impairment.

Each was given memory and thinking tests and had his/her walking speed monitored at home unobtrusively over three years. Participants were placed in groups of slow, moderate or fast based on their average weekly walking speed and how much their walking speed fluctuated at home.

Researchers installed infrared sensors in the ceilings of homes, which detected walking movement in hallways.

“By using this new monitoring method, we were able to get a better idea of how even subtle changes in walking speed may correlate with the development of impairment,” explained Dr Dodge.

The study found that people with non-memory related impairment were nine times more likely to be slow walkers than moderate or fast walkers and the amount of the fluctuation in walking speed was also associated with impairment.

“Further studies need to be done using larger groups of participants to determine whether walking speed and its fluctuations could be a predictor of future memory and thinking problems in the elderly,” said Dr Dodge.

“If we can detect dementia at its earliest phases, then we can work to maintain people’s independence, provide treatments and ultimately develop ways to prevent the disease from developing.

“Our in-home monitoring approach has a lot of potential to be used for sustaining independence of the elderly.”

Neurology June 12 2012

Tags: Brain & Neurology | Elderly Health | Fitness | Mental Health | North America

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