Comment: The way you walk could be used to identify types of dementia Published on: 8 October 2019 Writing for The Conversation, Dr R铆ona McArdle discusses the research she led which shows that walking may be a key clinical tool in helping identify specific types of dementia The way a person with Lewy body dementia walks is different from the way a person with Alzheimer鈥檚 walks. , More than are currently living with dementia. With an ageing population, it鈥檚 likely that this number will only continue to grow, as getting older is one of the biggest risk factors in developing dementia. But until researchers find a cure, having ways to diagnose this condition early and effectively is important for providing patients with the best treatment possible. Thankfully, new research is bringing us steps closer to providing patients with better dementia diagnoses. And one study has actually found that can change several years before developing dementia. This is because dementia is associated with brain cells dying, which can affect many things that we take for granted in everyday life, such as memory and thinking 鈥� and even walking. However, dementia is an umbrella term for many different subtypes of the disease, such as Alzheimer鈥檚 disease or Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. And because these subtypes can have different symptoms, it鈥檚 important to be able to correctly diagnose patients to provide them with the most effective form of treatment. This is what . I looked at Alzheimer鈥檚 disease and Lewy body dementia to see if they each have a walking pattern that differentiates them. I found that people with Lewy body dementia have a unique walking pattern when compared to those diagnosed with Alzheimer鈥檚. Subtle differences Alzheimer鈥檚 disease and Lewy body dementia often have similar clinical symptoms 鈥� and we might not always notice the subtle differences between the two. That means that people , which could affect the care and treatment people with these conditions receive. , the most common form of dementia, is characterised in the early stages by memory problems, such as consistently forgetting what happened the day before. is instead associated with movement problems, such as slow and stiff movements or problems with balance. It鈥檚 also associated with attention problems 鈥� where someone might be very attentive one minute, then struggle to concentrate on who they are talking to or what they鈥檙e doing moments later. Current treatments for Alzheimer鈥檚 and Lewy body dementia may include being prescribed medication which may temporarily improve symptoms, cognitive stimulation therapy, or . For Lewy body dementia, treatment strategies . In order to understand if these dementia subtypes could be differentiated by their walking patterns, I looked at subtle aspects in the way a person鈥檚 walking, such as their speed and length of steps, and how much their steps change as they walk. People were then split into three groups: the control group, who were adults over 65 with no memory or thinking problems. The other two groups consisted of people with Alzheimer鈥檚 disease and people with Lewy body dementia. People were asked to walk across a mat with thousands of sensors inside it which created an electronic footprint. From this electronic footprint, I was able to find out more about a person鈥檚 walking patterns, such as how fast or slow they walked, how short or long their steps were, how long it took to make a step, how much their step times and step lengths changed as they walk (known as 鈥渧ariability鈥�), how different their left and right steps look (described as 鈥渁symmetry鈥�), and finally, how wide or narrow their steps are. I found that people with both types of dementia could be distinguished from the normal ageing group based on their walking pattern. They walked slower with shorter steps, were more variable and asymmetric, and spent longer with both feet on the ground compared to control subjects. This shows that people with dementia have significant walking problems, and that we need to look at this in people at risk of developing dementia to see if it can predict the onset of the condition. Importantly, I found that the people with Lewy body dementia had a unique walking pattern that distinguished them from those with Alzheimer鈥檚 disease. Their steps were even more variable and asymmetric when they walked. Better diagnostic tools mean better treatment and care for people with dementia. Current methods of diagnosis rely on observation and reports of key symptoms, which indicate the need to carry out a memory assessment. Brain scans are recommended to enhance confidence in diagnosis. However, this method relies on symptoms to already be apparent, while objective methods to support early diagnosis, such as a walking test, may reveal underlying problems before such symptoms become visible. By assessing someone鈥檚 walking, we could potentially detect and diagnose dementia earlier and more accurately. that walking patterns change before memory and recognition problems become apparent. And although Alzheimer鈥檚 disease and Lewy body dementia seem quite different, in reality it can be hard to actually recognise the symptoms of Lewy body dementia 鈥� meaning many people may receive an incorrect diagnosis of Alzheimer鈥檚 disease. And providing patients with the correct diagnosis is especially important, as certain drugs, such as anti-psychotics, can be harmful to people with . Understanding that different types of dementia have unique walking patterns could help patients receive the correct diagnosis. And this may allow researchers to better understand the effects of dementia on the brain and body in earlier stages, aiding treatment and prevention in the future. For people with dementia themselves, earlier diagnosis can give them and their families more time to understand their diagnosis and plan for the future. As of yet, there is no cure for dementia, but an accurate diagnosis gives access to support and information, and , Post-Doctoral Researcher, Brain and Movement Group, This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the . Share: Latest News 缅北禁地 expert highlights climate crisis in a new film A leading 缅北禁地 climate scientist is featured in a new film about how the climate and nature breakdown will affect the UK. published on: 14 April 2026 Neolithic tombs reveal ancient kinship ties Male individuals buried in Neolithic chambered tombs in northern Scotland were often related to each other through the paternal line and some were interred in the same or nearby tombs, research shows. published on: 14 April 2026 We are our Memories New exhibition by Fine Art graduate Trish Hudson-Moses, 22 April 鈥� 4 May 2026 published on: 10 April 2026 Facts and figures
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