Objective measurement of gait parameters in healthy and cognitively impaired elderly using the dual-task paradigm

Abstract

ObjectivesThe present study explores the differences in gait parameters in elderly subjects with or without cognitive impairment measured by means of ambulatory actigraphy while performing a single and a dual task.MethodsSixty-nine participants of which 23 individuals were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), 24 individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 22 healthy controls performed a single and dual walking task while wearing a wrist-worn accelerometer. Objective measures of gait features such as walking speed, cadence (i.e., number of steps per minute), and step variance (i.e., variance in time between two consecutive steps) were derived and analyzed.ResultsWhile differences in several gait parameters, namely walking speed, were found between MCI and AD patients, no differences between healthy elderly and MCI patients were found.ConclusionWalking speed seems to be a gait-related feature that differs significantly between MCI and AD patients and thus could be used as an additional measurement in clinical assessment. However, differences in gait may not be salient enough in the early stages of dementia to be detected by actigraphy. More research comparing different methods to measure gait in early stages of dementia under different dual task conditions is neccessary.

Estimation of spatio-temporal parameters of gait from magneto-inertial measurement units: multicenter validation among Parkinson, mildly cognitively impaired and healthy older adults

“…Gait analysis is emerging as an effective tool to detect an incipient neurodegenerative disease or to monitor its progression [ 3 , 4 ]. It has been shown that gait disturbances are an early indicator for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and can predict progression from MCI to Alzheimer’s disease [ 5 ]. Furthermore, gait performance is also a predictor of fall status [ 6 , 7 ], morbidity and mortality [ 8 , 9 ].…”

The use of Motor and Cognitive Dual-Task quantitative assessment on subjects with mild cognitive impairment: A systematic review

“…On the contrary, the step variance remain constant also under the MCDT condition. Conclusively, the authors suggested that changes in gait induced by MCDT could be too subtle to be identified by a wrist-worn actigraph [König et al (2017)].…”

Patrón de marcha normal en adultos mayores costarricenses

“…11,15 Tiene un valor predictivo, bien documentado, para hospitalizaciones, institucionalización en hogares de ancianos, mortalidad, mala calidad de vida, deterioro funcional físico y cognitivo y riesgo de caídas, lo que la convierte en una medida de detección útil para identificar a las personas mayores en riesgo de tales eventos. 8,11,[15][16][17][18] En Costa Rica, el envejecimiento de la población se ha acelerado, se estimaba envejecimiento acelerado, pasando del 7,6 % de personas adultas mayores en el año 2000, al 8,8 % para 2007, y una estimación del 11,5 % para 2025. 19 No obstante, en lo que a marcha respecta, no hay estudios clínicos en nuestra población y los equipos existentes en el mercado no incluyen bases de datos en población mayor de 60 años, por lo que no se cuenta con parámetros de normalidad.…”