What can gait features tell us about cognitive aging and dementia? A multidisciplinary approach towards precision medicine

Gait assessment seems a feasible tool to aid diagnostic and predictive approaches in dementia. Yet, the diverse characteristics of older individuals hinder its application in a clinical setting.

This proposal aims to understand in-depth the link between gait and cognition across the continuum of dementia phases, the possible mechanisms, and common prevention directions for both.Project I is based on the WRAP cohort(~1500), a population-based study including middle-to-old adults without cognitive impairment.

We will examine the diverse patterns of joint gait-cognitive trajectories and their possible mechanisms. Project II includes a patient-based cohort (GEDOC, ~>500) and a healthy control population (SLOSH-MRI, ~500).

Gait features will be evaluated comprehensively in patients with cognitive impairments and the cognitively normal elderly. We will determine gait features that can be applied for early diagnosis and prediction of dementia.

Sensor-based gait data will be collected in 2023-2024.Project III is based on the FINGER study(~1260), which is a multidomain lifestyle intervention in the at-risk elderly. We will examine whether gait decline can be preserved by the intervention designed to prevent cognitive decline.

Findings from the present proposal can be utilized to improve the early diagnosis of dementia, detect at-risk individuals in the preclinical stage of dementia, and initiate prevention strategies to minimize declines in both cognitive and motor function in aging.