Identifying gait differences between Alzheimer's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies and their associations with regional amyloid deposition.

INTRODUCTION

We aimed to compare gait between individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and cognitively unimpaired (CU) individuals and to evaluate the association between gait and regional amyloid beta (Aβ) burden in AD and DLB.

METHODS

We included 420 participants (70 AD, 70 DLB, 280 CU) in the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging (MCSA). Gait was assessed using a pressure-sensor walkway. Aβ deposition was analyzed with Pittsburgh compound B (PiB) positron emission topography (PET).

RESULTS

The DLB group had reduced stride velocity, step length, and stride width variability, as well as increased double support percentage (%DS) and variability in step length, swing time, and step time compared to the AD and CU groups. Aβ burden was not associated with any gait outcomes.

DISCUSSION: This study provides additional evidence that gait differs between AD and DLB. Larger studies are needed to investigate associations between Aβ burden and gait outcomes in dementia.

HIGHLIGHTS: Gait was more impaired in dementia than in cognitively unimpaired (CU) controls. Compared with Alzheimer's disease (AD), Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) had more impaired pace, variability, and postural control. Step length and double support (%) distinguished DLB and AD with moderate accuracy.