Changes in walking speed ‘could indicate dementia onset’

Changes in walking speed among elderly people could be indicative of the onset of early stages of dementia, according to a new US study.

The National Institutes of Health and Intel-supported trial used infrared sensors installed in the homes of 93 people aged 70 or older to monitor their movement speed over a three-year period.

It was found that slow walkers were nine times more likely to be affected by mild cognitive impairment than those with moderate or fast walking speeds, while fluctuations in walking pace were also associated with mental degeneration.

According to researchers, this illustrates the potential usefulness of this in-home monitoring approach in helping older people.

Dr Hiroko Dodge from the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland said: "If we can detect dementia at its earliest phases, then we can work to maintain people's independence, provide treatments and ultimately develop ways to prevent the disease from developing."

Currently, NHS figures show that 570,000 people are living with dementia in England alone, a number that is expected to double over the next 30 years.