Scientists found that analysing patient movements could accurately identify ‘60% of all dementia subtypes’
Scientists have said how a person moves around could potentially lead to an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Pioneering research, led by Newcastle University, sought to improve existing methods used to diagnose different variants of the cognitive health condition.
This specifically involved distinguishing between Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, and Lewy body dementia (LBD). While people with Alzheimer’s often experience more noticeable memory loss in its early stages, symptoms are very often confused with those of LBD, and as such, may be treated inappropriately.
But in 2019, scientists found that analysing patient movements could accurately identify ‘60% of all dementia subtypes’ in a remarkable first. At the time, Dr Ríona McArdle, lead researcher at Newcastle University’s Faculty of Medical Sciences, explained: “The way we walk can reflect changes in thinking and memory that highlight problems in our brain, such as dementia.
“Correctly identifying what type of dementia someone has is important for clinicians and researchers as it allows patients to be given the most appropriate treatment for their needs as soon as possible. The results from this study are exciting as they suggest that walking could be a useful tool to add to the diagnostic toolbox for dementia.
“It is a key development as a more accurate diagnosis means that we know that people are getting the right treatment, care and management for the dementia they have.” The project analysed the walking styles of 110 people including 36 with Alzheimer’s, 45 with LBD and 29 whose cognition was intact.
One of its key discoveries was that patients with LBD altered their walking steps more and were ‘asymmetric’ in their movement, compared to those with Alzheimer’s.
Estimates suggest that more than 944,000 people in the UK have dementia, including one in every 11 over 65 years old. LBD is thought to account for just 100,000 of these cases, according to Alzheimer’s Research UK.
In light of the findings, Dr James Pickett, Head of Research at Alzheimer’s Society, also previously added: “In this well conducted study we can see for the first time that the way we walk may provide clues which could help us distinguish between Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia.
“This research – funded by the Alzheimer’s Society – is pioneering for dementia. It shows promise in helping to establish a novel approach to accurately diagnose different types of dementia.
“We know that research will beat dementia, and provide invaluable support for the 850,000 people living with the condition in the UK today. It’s now vital that we continue to support promising research of this kind.
“We look forward to seeing larger, longer studies to validate this approach and shed light on the relationship between a person’s gait and dementia diagnosis.”
NHS’ list of potential early stage dementia symptoms
- Difficulty concentrating and planning tasks
- Sudden changes in personality or mood
- Confusion and memory loss
- Trouble finding the right words to say and not being able to understand conversations
The health body adds: “If someone you know is becoming increasingly forgetful, encourage them to see a GP to talk about the early signs of dementia. There are other reasons why someone might be experiencing memory loss.
“However, if dementia is found early, its progress can be slowed down in some cases, so the person may be able to maintain their mental function for longer.”
