What can gait analysis tell us about dementia and its subtypes?
Research type
Research Study
Full title
What can gait analysis tell us about dementia and its subtypes? An integrated study of brain and behaviour.
IRAS ID
192941
Contact name
Lynn Rochester
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 8 months, 1 days
Research summary
Dementia is increasing in older people across the globe. Although it is primarily known for its striking effect on memory, dementia also affects an individual’s attention, language, decision-making and understanding of the world around them. This can cause problems with ability to carry out everyday tasks. The most common forms of dementia are Alzheimer’s Disease, dementia with Lewy bodies and vascular dementia. Differentiating these dementia subtypes during diagnosis can be difficult as their primary symptoms often overlap and thus, they can appear very similar in appearance. It is important that researchers identify robust measures to help distinguish between these subtypes in order to improve and manage treatments. Research has indicated that the way an individual walks could tell us something about their cognitive function. Studies have shown that walking patterns can change with dementia and may look different amongst the subtypes. It has been reported that vascular dementia patients walk slower than patients with Alzheimer’s disease, and that Alzheimer’s disease patients have a shorter step length than healthy older adults. Further research into establishing distinct walking patterns amongst the subtypes could help to differentiate them and could complement other means of diagnosis. The current study will investigate walking problems in dementia subtypes. It will also examine if there is a relationship between different aspects of walking, (e.g. speed, co-ordination) and cognition, (e.g. memory or attention). We will recruit 30 people with Alzheimer’s Disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, vascular dementia and Parkinson’s disease with dementia respectively to investigate this primary aim, and 30 controls and people with mild cognitive impairment will act as comparison groups. Walking will be assessed using a pressurised walkway and accelerometers in a laboratory setting, and a small accelerometer will be attached to the back for seven days in order to collect real world walking data.
REC name
North East - Newcastle & North Tyneside 1 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/NE/0005
Date of REC Opinion
1 Mar 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion