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Effects of Brain Pathologies on Spatiotemporal Gait Parameters in Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment

Lindh-Rengifo, Magnus LU orcid ; Jonasson, Stina B. LU orcid ; Ullén, Susann LU ; Palmqvist, Sebastian LU orcid ; Van Westen, Danielle LU orcid ; Stomrud, Erik LU orcid ; Mattsson-Carlgren, Niklas LU orcid ; Nilsson, Maria H. LU orcid and Hansson, Oskar LU orcid (2023) In Journal of Alzheimer's Disease 96(1). p.161-171
Abstract

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.... (More)

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.

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author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Alzheimer's disease, Alzheimer's disease pathology, amyloid-β, electronic walkway, gait, gait variability, mild cognitive impairment, tau, white matter hyperintensities
in
Journal of Alzheimer's Disease
volume
96
issue
1
pages
11 pages
publisher
IOS Press
external identifiers
  • pmid:37742636
  • scopus:85175497788
ISSN
1387-2877
DOI
10.3233/JAD-221303
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
5332d9c5-e556-435b-aa0b-171d678c99cb
date added to LUP
2023-12-04 13:02:32
date last changed
2024-04-17 09:09:47
@article{5332d9c5-e556-435b-aa0b-171d678c99cb,
  abstract     = {{<p>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<sup>®</sup>. 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 &lt; 0.001) and step length (β= 0.336, p &lt; 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 &lt; 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.</p>}},
  author       = {{Lindh-Rengifo, Magnus and Jonasson, Stina B. and Ullén, Susann and Palmqvist, Sebastian and Van Westen, Danielle and Stomrud, Erik and Mattsson-Carlgren, Niklas and Nilsson, Maria H. and Hansson, Oskar}},
  issn         = {{1387-2877}},
  keywords     = {{Alzheimer's disease; Alzheimer's disease pathology; amyloid-β; electronic walkway; gait; gait variability; mild cognitive impairment; tau; white matter hyperintensities}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{161--171}},
  publisher    = {{IOS Press}},
  series       = {{Journal of Alzheimer's Disease}},
  title        = {{Effects of Brain Pathologies on Spatiotemporal Gait Parameters in Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3233/JAD-221303}},
  doi          = {{10.3233/JAD-221303}},
  volume       = {{96}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}