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Updated: Jul 15, 2025
Clinical Assessment of Spatiotemporal Gait Parameters in Patients and Older Adults
Published on: November 7, 2014
Effects of Brain Pathologies on Spatiotemporal Gait Parameters in Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment
Magnus Lindh-Rengifo1, Stina B Jonasson2, Susann Ullén3
1Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Background:
Impaired gait can precede dementia. The associations between gait parameters and brain pathologies are therefore of interest.
Objective:
To explore how different brain pathologies (i.e., vascular and Alzheimer's) are associated with specific gait parameters from various gait components in persons with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), who have an increased risk of developing dementia.
Methods:
This cross-sectional study included 96 patients with MCI (mean 72, ±7.5 years; 52% women). Gait was evaluated by using an electronic walkway, GAITRite®. Four gait parameters (step velocity variability; step length; step time; stance time asymmetry) were used as dependent variables in multivariable linear regression analyses. Independent variables included Alzheimer's disease pathologies (amyloid-β and tau) by using PET imaging and white matter hyperintensities (WMH) by using MRI. Covariates included age, sex, comorbidities (and intracranial volume in analyses that includedWMH).
Results:
Increased tau-PET (Braak I-IV region of interest [ROI]) was associated with step velocity variability (standardized regression coefficient, β= 0.383, p < 0.001) and step length (β= 0.336, p < 0.001), which remained significant when using different Braak ROIs (I-II, III-IV, V-VI). The associations remained significant when adjusting for WMH (p < 0.001). When also controlling for gait speed, tau was no longer significantly (p = 0.168) associated with an increased step length. No significant associations between gait and Aβ-PET load or WMH were identified.
Conclusions:
The results indicate that one should pay specific attention to assess step velocity variability when targeting single task gait in patients with MCI. Future studies should address additional gait variability measures and dual tasking in larger cohorts.
Insights
Gait changes, specifically step velocity variability, are linked to tau pathology in individuals with mild cognitive impairment. This highlights the importance of assessing gait variability for early dementia detection.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gerontology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Impaired gait is an early indicator of cognitive decline and dementia.
- Understanding the link between brain pathologies and gait is crucial for early diagnosis and intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between Alzheimer's disease pathologies (amyloid-β and tau) and specific gait parameters in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
- To explore the relationship between white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and gait parameters in MCI patients.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study of 96 MCI patients (mean age 72).
- Gait analysis using GAITRite® to measure step velocity variability, step length, step time, and stance time asymmetry.
- Brain pathologies assessed via PET imaging (amyloid-β, tau) and MRI (WMH).
Main Results:
- Increased tau-PET levels (Braak I-IV ROI) were significantly associated with higher step velocity variability and longer step length.
- These associations remained significant after adjusting for WMH.
- No significant associations were found between gait parameters and amyloid-β-PET load or WMH.
Conclusions:
- Step velocity variability is a key gait parameter associated with tau pathology in MCI.
- Assessing gait variability in single-task conditions may aid in identifying individuals at risk for dementia.
- Further research with larger cohorts and dual-tasking assessments is recommended.
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