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Specific Gait Changes in Prodromal Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia Type 4: preSPG4 Study
Christian Laßmann1,2,3, Winfried Ilg1,4, Marc Schneider1,4
1Section Computational Sensomotorics, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Movement Disorders : Official Journal of the Movement Disorder Society
|September 2, 2022
Summary
Subtle gait changes in hereditary spastic paraplegia type 4 (SPG4) can be detected before symptoms appear. These gait abnormalities may serve as early biomarkers for disease progression and potential interventions.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Movement Disorders
- Genetics
Background:
- Hereditary spastic paraplegia type 4 (SPG4) is characterized by progressive leg weakness and spasticity.
- Subclinical gait alterations may precede overt motor symptoms in SPG4 patients.
- Identifying prodromal markers is crucial for early intervention in neurodegenerative diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To detect and quantify gait abnormalities in the prodromal phase of SPG4.
- To identify early motor biomarkers for disease progression in SPG4.
- To correlate gait features with established disease severity markers.
Main Methods:
- Gait analysis using motion capture in 70 subjects: 30 prodromal SPG4 carriers, 17 manifest SPG4 patients, and 23 controls.
- Assessment of range of motion and continuous angle trajectories during gait.
- Correlation of gait parameters with Spastic Paraplegia Rating Scale, neurofilament light chain, and motor-evoked potentials.
Main Results:
- Prodromal SPG4 carriers exhibited altered gait during the swing phase, including foot segmental angle and heel ground clearance.
- Reduced range of motion in the foot's segmental angle was observed in prodromal carriers.
- These gait changes occurred without clinically apparent spasticity and correlated with biomarker levels.
Conclusions:
- Gait analysis effectively quantifies subclinical changes in early-stage SPG4.
- Gait features show promise as motor biomarkers for tracking SPG4 progression.
- These biomarkers could aid in evaluating therapeutic interventions in early disease stages.
