How Is Walking Speed Related to Alzheimer Disease Risk?
A build up of amyloid plaque in the brain—whose damaging effects lead to Alzheimer disease—is associated with slower walking speeds in some elderly individuals, even when symptoms of Alzheimer disease are not present, according to a recent study.
Sticky beta-amyloid builds up in the brain and creates a barrier of amyloid plaques that restricts cognitive and motor skills, leading to memory loss and, eventually, Alzheimer disease, researchers explained.
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To further study the impact amyloid has on elderly people’s brain function, researchers examined 128 people who averaged 76 years old and had a high risk of developing dementia .
For the study, researchers checked patients’ amyloid levels via positron emission tomography (PET) scan of the brain—48% had a level of amyloid common in people with dementia.
They also assessed the patients’ walking speed via a simple treadmill test. Patients walked their usual rate of speed and were timed on how long it took them to walk 13 feet. The average rate was 3.48 feet per second, which is within the normal range. Only 2 patients were outside the normal range.
In addition, researchers administered tests to gauge patients’ thinking and memory skills and to assess how well they could complete everyday activities. About 46% experienced mild cognitive impairment, which could be a sign of early dementia.
All in all, the results showed a link between slow walking speed and amyloid levels in several areas of the brain, including the region used for motor function. In fact, these levels accounted for 9% of the difference in walking speed.
"It’s possible that having subtle walking disturbances in addition to memory concerns may signal Alzheimer's disease, even before people show any clinical symptoms," researchers determined.
The researchers also acknowledge that there are many other reasons why elderly people walk slowly and that the study was only a snapshot in time.
Reference:
Can slow walking speed in elderly signal Alzheimer’s disease hallmarks? American Academy of Neurology [press release]. December 2, 2015. https://www.aan.com/PressRoom/Home/PressRelease/1419.