A recent study suggests that a decrease in walking pace during older age could signify early signs of dementia. This research, carried out by the University of Minnesota and Monash University, found evidence linking brain health deterioration to increased difficulty in walking.
The study observed individuals aged over 75 and noted that a yearly reduction in walking speed by 0.05 metres per second was indicative of cognitive deterioration. It appears that the brain areas involved in regulating walking and pace may be compromised due to cognitive impairment.
The NHS reports that as dementia progresses, other symptoms will develop. Things like incontinence, trouble with speech and behavioural issues may arise as the disease worsens.
Some behavioural changes can include aggression, anxiety, wandering or sometimes hallucinations. However the early signs are more subtle – things like forgetfulness, confusion and difficulty communicating are common.
When it comes to predicted the risk of dementia, the study tracked 17,000 older adults over seven years, assessing their walking speeds and cognitive abilities every two years. Those who experienced declines in both walking speed and cognition were identified as having an elevated dementia risk.
This subset of participants, dubbed “dual decliners”, comprised roughly 178 diagnosed cases of dementia—making up 11.3 per cent of the total number of individuals in the study. Conversely, those with no detected decline in either cognition or walking speed had a significantly lower chance of being diagnosed with the condition, affecting just 0.3 per cent.
However, the research stopped short of asserting a definitive link between walking speed and dementia risk. The study discovered individuals whose walking paces slowed but did not display early cognitive issues had a similar risk for dementia compared to those with steady walking speeds.
Researchers have found that a simultaneous decrease in cognition and walking speed may be an early indicator of dementia, pointing out that these factors could be key in evaluating cognitive deterioration.
The research, spearheaded by Dr Taya Collyer, a biostatistician at Monash University, reached a conclusion stating: “Association between [brain] domains, such as processing speed and verbal fluency, with gait have been explained by the crossover in the underlying networks or pathology.”
Furthermore, the study emphasised: “These results highlight the importance of gait in dementia risk assessment. They suggest that dual decline in gait speed and memory measure may be the best combination to assess future decline.”
This significant study was recently published in JAMA Network Open.
Common early signs of dementia are:
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memory loss
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difficulty concentrating
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finding it hard to carry out familiar daily tasks, such as getting confused over the correct change when shopping
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struggling to follow a conversation or find the right word
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being confused about time and place
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mood changes