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Updated: Jul 9, 2025
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Clinical Assessment of Spatiotemporal Gait Parameters in Patients and Older Adults
Published on: November 7, 2014
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Exploring shared neural substrates underlying cognition and gait variability in adults without dementia
Seonjeong Byun1, Hyang Jun Lee2, Jun Sung Kim3
1Department of Neuropsychiatry, College of Medicine, Uijeongbu St Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Alzheimer'S Research & Therapy
|November 28, 2023
Summary
High gait variability in older adults is linked to poorer cognitive function and thinner gray matter in specific brain regions. These findings suggest shared neural underpinnings between gait and cognition, particularly in memory and visuospatial areas.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gerontology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- High gait variability is a known indicator of neurodegeneration and cognitive decline, predicting future cognitive impairment and dementia.
- Understanding the neural basis of gait variability is crucial for early detection and intervention strategies in aging populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify specific brain structures (cortical and subcortical) associated with gait variability.
- To investigate the shared neural substrates between gait variability and cognitive function in older adults.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from a population-based cohort study on cognitive aging, including 207 non-demented participants (mean age 72.6).
- Gait variability was measured using a body-worn tri-axial accelerometer (TAA).
- Cortical thickness and subcortical volumes were assessed via magnetic resonance (MR) imaging.
Main Results:
- Increased gait variability correlated with reduced cognitive function and thinner cortical gray matter, but not with subcortical volume.
- A specific cluster of left-hemisphere regions (inferior temporal, entorhinal, parahippocampal, fusiform, lingual) showed associations with both gait variability and global/verbal memory function.
- Cortical thickness in this cluster mediated the relationship between gait variability and cognitive function.
Conclusions:
- Gait variability and cognitive function share common neural substrates, particularly within brain regions vital for memory and visuospatial navigation.
- These findings highlight the potential of gait analysis as a non-invasive biomarker for cognitive health in aging individuals.
