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Turning as a single and dual task-associations with Alzheimer's and vascular pathologies in cognitively healthy older people

Nilsson, Maria H LU orcid ; Lindh-Rengifo, Magnus LU orcid ; Rochester, Lynn ; Van Westen, Danielle LU orcid ; Smith, Ruben LU ; Palmqvist, Sebastian LU orcid ; Stomrud, Erik LU orcid ; Mattsson-Carlgren, Niklas LU orcid and Hansson, Oskar LU orcid (2026) In The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences 81(7). p.1-11
Abstract

BACKGROUND: Turning performance is an important and challenging motor activity, with potential relevance in several brain diseases. This study aimed to determine how Alzheimer's and vascular pathologies are associated with turning (360° while standing and 180° while walking), both as a single task and during dual-tasking in cognitively healthy older people.

METHODS: Cognitively healthy older people (n = 297, mean age 77.7 years, 61.6% women) were included. A 180° turn was assessed using a wearable sensor; a 360° turn was assessed both clinically and using a sensor. Dual-tasking included a simultaneous subtraction task. Alzheimer's pathologies (Aβ and tau) were assessed using positron emission tomography (PET). Vascular pathology... (More)

BACKGROUND: Turning performance is an important and challenging motor activity, with potential relevance in several brain diseases. This study aimed to determine how Alzheimer's and vascular pathologies are associated with turning (360° while standing and 180° while walking), both as a single task and during dual-tasking in cognitively healthy older people.

METHODS: Cognitively healthy older people (n = 297, mean age 77.7 years, 61.6% women) were included. A 180° turn was assessed using a wearable sensor; a 360° turn was assessed both clinically and using a sensor. Dual-tasking included a simultaneous subtraction task. Alzheimer's pathologies (Aβ and tau) were assessed using positron emission tomography (PET). Vascular pathology (white matter hyperintensities (WMH)) was assessed using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Logistic and linear regression analyses were used.

RESULTS: Aβ and tau pathologies were significantly associated with being unstable while dual-tasking and turning 360°. When including both Aβ and tau in the model, only tau remained significantly associated with being unstable (OR 22.42, 95% CI, 1.43, 349.88, p = .027). WMH were associated with impaired turning as a single task, that is, an increased turn duration (360°) and a decreased peak angular velocity (180°: B -1.27, 95% CI, -2.33, -0.21, p = .018).

CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that early Alzheimer's pathologies are associated with an instability while turning 360° and dual-tasking, whereas WMH seem to be associated with impaired turning as a single task in cognitively healthy older people. Turning assessments seem promising for investigating motor aspects in very early stages of Alzheimer's disease and vascular brain disease.

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author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Humans, Female, Aged, Alzheimer Disease/physiopathology, Male, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Dual-Task Tests, Positron-Emission Tomography, Cognition/physiology, Aged, 80 and over, White Matter/diagnostic imaging, Walking/physiology
in
The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences
volume
81
issue
7
article number
glag114
pages
1 - 11
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • pmid:42109046
  • scopus:105042149524
ISSN
1758-535X
DOI
10.1093/gerona/glag114
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
© The Author(s) 2026. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Gerontological Society of America.
id
32150ebb-be59-48e2-9253-299e78622dda
date added to LUP
2026-08-26 11:08:14
date last changed
2026-08-27 04:00:53
@article{32150ebb-be59-48e2-9253-299e78622dda,
  abstract     = {{<p>BACKGROUND: Turning performance is an important and challenging motor activity, with potential relevance in several brain diseases. This study aimed to determine how Alzheimer's and vascular pathologies are associated with turning (360° while standing and 180° while walking), both as a single task and during dual-tasking in cognitively healthy older people.</p><p>METHODS: Cognitively healthy older people (n = 297, mean age 77.7 years, 61.6% women) were included. A 180° turn was assessed using a wearable sensor; a 360° turn was assessed both clinically and using a sensor. Dual-tasking included a simultaneous subtraction task. Alzheimer's pathologies (Aβ and tau) were assessed using positron emission tomography (PET). Vascular pathology (white matter hyperintensities (WMH)) was assessed using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Logistic and linear regression analyses were used.</p><p>RESULTS: Aβ and tau pathologies were significantly associated with being unstable while dual-tasking and turning 360°. When including both Aβ and tau in the model, only tau remained significantly associated with being unstable (OR 22.42, 95% CI, 1.43, 349.88, p = .027). WMH were associated with impaired turning as a single task, that is, an increased turn duration (360°) and a decreased peak angular velocity (180°: B -1.27, 95% CI, -2.33, -0.21, p = .018).</p><p>CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that early Alzheimer's pathologies are associated with an instability while turning 360° and dual-tasking, whereas WMH seem to be associated with impaired turning as a single task in cognitively healthy older people. Turning assessments seem promising for investigating motor aspects in very early stages of Alzheimer's disease and vascular brain disease.</p>}},
  author       = {{Nilsson, Maria H and Lindh-Rengifo, Magnus and Rochester, Lynn and Van Westen, Danielle and Smith, Ruben and Palmqvist, Sebastian and Stomrud, Erik and Mattsson-Carlgren, Niklas and Hansson, Oskar}},
  issn         = {{1758-535X}},
  keywords     = {{Humans; Female; Aged; Alzheimer Disease/physiopathology; Male; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Dual-Task Tests; Positron-Emission Tomography; Cognition/physiology; Aged, 80 and over; White Matter/diagnostic imaging; Walking/physiology}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{06}},
  number       = {{7}},
  pages        = {{1--11}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences}},
  title        = {{Turning as a single and dual task-associations with Alzheimer's and vascular pathologies in cognitively healthy older people}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glag114}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/gerona/glag114}},
  volume       = {{81}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}