Walking requires coordination of many parts of the brain. If a person begins to walk differently or slower, than this could be a sign of dementia.
Three studies were performed on dementia and walking. Each are described in the U.S. News and World Report article "Faltering Steps May Indicate Oncoming Dementia: 3 studies link changes in walking skills to weakening mental state, including Alzheimer's".
In one study, Dr. Stephanie Bridenbaugh led a Swiss team at the Basel Mobility Center.
She states, "Those with Alzheimer's dementia walked slower than those with MCI, who in turn walked slower than those who were cognitively healthy." (MCI is the abbreviation for mild cognitive impairment.)
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Savica states, "These results support a possible role of gait changes as an early predictor of cognitive impairment."
A third study was performed at Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine in Sendai. The Japanese study was led by Dr. Kenichi Meguro.
Dr. Meguro stated, "Gait velocity was significantly decreased as the severity of dementia symptoms increased. "Gait should no longer be considered a simple, automatic motor activity that is independent of cognition. They are linked."
