Researchers estimate that about 20% of the world’s population has mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a condition that affects a person’s memory or thinking. People with MCI are at an increased risk of developing dementia, with 10-15% of those with MCI progressing to dementia. While there is currently no cure for MCI, early diagnosis and intervention can help slow its progression. In a recent study, researchers from Florida Atlantic University used gait analysis to test for early cognitive decline in older adults and found that difficulty walking a curved path was associated with early cognitive decline.
Gait analysis involves analyzing how a person stands and walks, providing an objective and noninvasive measure of an individual’s motor abilities. By integrating gait analysis with traditional cognitive assessments, clinicians can gain a more comprehensive understanding of an individual’s cognitive and physical health, enabling earlier detection of cognitive decline, monitoring progression, and assessing the efficacy of interventions. This holistic approach aims to improve the quality of life for patients and their families by identifying individuals at risk and developing personalized care plans. The study recruited 55 older adults, 25 with MCI and 30 without, to perform walking tests on straight and curved paths using a depth camera to detect and track body movement.
The research team found that individuals with MCI displayed distinctive changes in their walking patterns compared to healthy controls. During curved walking, those with MCI had a shorter average step length, reduced walking speed, and spent more time with both feet on the ground, indicating challenges in balance and coordination. The increased variability in gait parameters during curved walking suggested difficulties in executing complex motor tasks. Detecting cognitive impairment, particularly in its early stages, allows for timely intervention and management that could potentially slow the progression of the disease, improve the quality of life for those affected, and impact emotional well-being for patients and their families.
While existing diagnostic methods for cognitive decline can be invasive, costly, and may not adequately detect early stages of cognitive decline, gait analysis offers a noninvasive approach that provides an early indicator of cognitive decline. Early detection is crucial as it opens the door to interventions that can delay or mitigate the progression towards more severe cognitive disorders. By combining gait analysis with traditional cognitive assessments, clinicians can enhance their ability to identify individuals at risk, monitor progression, and develop personalized care plans that address both cognitive and physical health. The holistic approach of this study was praised by experts, who emphasized the importance of integrating gait assessment as part of a multidisciplinary, whole-person assessment team for diagnosing dementia.
Overall, the study demonstrates the potential of gait analysis as a diagnostic tool for early cognitive decline in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. By analyzing changes in walking patterns and gait parameters, researchers were able to identify distinctive differences between individuals with MCI and healthy controls during curved walking tests. This approach offers a unique window into an individual’s neurological health by quantifying changes in walking patterns, balance, and coordination, which can precede noticeable cognitive symptoms. Integrating gait analysis with traditional cognitive assessments provides a more comprehensive understanding of an individual’s cognitive and physical health, enabling earlier detection, monitoring progression, and assessing the efficacy of interventions to improve quality of life for patients and families.
