Lower Gait Speed in Older Women with Dementia Compared with Controls

• Published in: Dementia and geriatric cognitive disorders 2005-01, Vol.20 (5), p.298-305
• Main Authors: Bramell-Risberg, E., Jarnlo, G.-B., Minthon, L., Elmståhl, S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Activities of Daily Living; Aged; Aging - physiology; Annan medicin och hälsovetenskap; Biological and medical sciences; Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases; Dementia; Dementia - physiopathology; Dementia - psychology; Diseases of the osteoarticular system. Orthopedic treatment; Female; Gait - physiology; Gerontologi, medicinsk/hälsovetenskaplig inriktning; Gerontology, specializing in Medical and Health Sciences; Humans; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Medical and Health Sciences; Medical sciences; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Middle Aged; Nervous system; Neurology; Neuropsychological Tests; Original Research Article; Other Medical Sciences; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects); Supine Position; Ultrasonic investigative techniques; Walking - physiology
• ISSN: 1420-8008; 1421-9824
• DOI: 10.1159/000088335

Movement time is increased in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Objectives: To study differences in movement time and ability to increase speed in older women with dementia. Methods: Four tests were performed at self-selected and maximal speed: walking 2 ×15 m, walking between parallel lines, ‘get up and go’ (GUG) and rising from lying supine. Twenty-two patients and 22 controls (mean ages 81 and 86 years, respectively) were included in the study. Results: In the groups over 80 years, walking and GUG at both speeds and rising from lying supine from the left at self-selected speed were significantly slower among patients (20–30%). Both patients and controls were able to increase movement speed when changing from self-selected to maximal speed (13–27%). Patients with Alzheimer’s disease had lower self-selected walking speed compared with patients with other types of dementia (p = 0.048). Conclusion: Testing physical performance in two different speeds was feasible in patients with dementia. Patients had slower gait speed and were slower in the functional tests, such as GUG, but the capacity to increase speed seemed intact.