Walking Patterns May Help Differentiate Types of Dementia

A study in Alzheimer's & Dementia comparing walking patterns in people with two types of dementia considered how walking might factor into telling the disorders apart, reports Medical News Today . The researchers suggested the unique gait impairments typical of Alzheimer's and Lewy body dementia may mirror the specific damage affecting cognition and the brain. Corroboration of these findings could glean insights into using walking patterns for diagnosing different types of dementia more affordably. "A more accurate diagnosis means that we know that people are getting the right treatment, care, and management for the dementia they have," said Newcastle University's Ríona McArdle. Alzheimer's initial point of damage is the hippocampal region, where memory forms. In Lewy body dementia, the damage attacks areas that govern movement and certain aspects of memory. Analysis revealed that participants with Alzheimer's seldom varied their gait, while those with Lewy body dementia often varied the amount of time it took them to take a step or the length of their steps. The researchers claimed these observations provide "early evidence" of unique gait signatures for mild Alzheimer's and Lewy body dementia, possibly caused by disease-specific effects on cognition.