Using dual-task gait to recognize Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment: a cross-sectional study

Zhaoying Li; Jingyi Zhu; Junyan Liu; Min Shi; Pan Liu; Junjie Guo; Zhenzhu Hu; Shanyu Liu; Dongdong Yang

doi:10.3389/fnhum.2023.1284805

Using dual-task gait to recognize Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment: a cross-sectional study

Front Hum Neurosci. 2023 Dec 19:17:1284805. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1284805. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Zhaoying Li^#¹, Jingyi Zhu^#¹, Junyan Liu¹, Min Shi¹, Pan Liu¹, Junjie Guo¹, Zhenzhu Hu¹, Shanyu Liu¹, Dongdong Yang¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Neurology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Background: Gait is a potential diagnostic tool for detecting mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Nevertheless, little attention has been paid to arm movements during walking, and there is currently no consensus on gait asymmetry. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to determine whether arm motion and gait asymmetry could be utilized for identifying MCI and AD.

Methods: In total, 102 middle-aged and elderly individuals were included in the final analysis and were assigned to the following three groups: AD (n = 27), MCI (n = 35), and a normal control group (n = 40). Gait and cognitive assessments were conducted for all participants. Gait detection included a single-task gait with free-speed walking and a dual-task gait with adding a cognitive task of successive minus seven to walking. Original gait parameters were collected using a wearable device featuring the MATRIX system 2.0. Gait parameters were shortened to several main gait domains through factor analysis using principal component extraction with varimax rotation. Subsequently, the extracted gait domains were used to differentiate the three groups, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was calculated.

Results: Factor analysis of single-task gait identified five independent gait domains: rhythm symmetry, rhythm, pace asymmetry, arm motion, and variability. Factor analysis of the dual-task gait identified four gait domains: rhythm, variability, symmetry, and arm motion. During single-task walking, pace asymmetry was negatively correlated with MoCA scores and could distinguish between the AD group and the other two groups. Arm motion was not associated with MoCA scores, and did not exhibit adequate discrimination in either task.

Conclusion: Currently, there is no reliable evidence suggesting that arm motion can be used to recognize AD or MCI. Gait asymmetry can serve as a potential gait marker for the auxiliary diagnosis of AD but not for MCI.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; arm motion; asymmetry; gait; mild cognitive impairment.

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This study was supported by the Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (grant number: H2022007).