Spatiotemporal gait patterns during over ground locomotion in major depression compared with healthy controls

Alterations of locomotion are frequent, observable features of patients suffering from depression and have been investigated in these patients by actigraphy, cinematography and ground reaction forces. However, spatiotemporal parameters and neurophysiological mechanisms of gait have not yet been studied in depth in depression. The relationship between spatial and temporal parameters may yield insight into the pathophysiology of altered movements in depression. Therefore, gait patterns were quantitatively assessed and analysed in depressed subjects (n=16) and compared to matched healthy controls. Spatiotemporal gait parameters were measured during over ground walking at self-selected walking speed on a walkway previously validated in healthy subjects and used for orthopaedic and neurological patients. Compared to controls, depressed patients showed significantly lower gait velocity (p<0.001), reduced stride length (p<0.005), double limb support (p<0.005) and cycle duration (p<0.005). There was a significant correlation between cadence and gait velocity in depressed patients (r=0.51, p<0.05), but not in healthy controls (r=0.11, p>0.05). In patients with major depression, reduced gait velocity was associated with stride hypometria and increased cycle duration. Velocity was associated with cadence in depressed patients but not in healthy controls. The results may indicate possible deficiencies in the motor control system in depression. These first results about alterations of spatiotemporal gait patterns in depression warrant further longitudinal and experimental studies.