Alzheimer's disease signs & symptoms include slow walking among elderlies

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The speed with which an elderly walks may be an early warning sign of Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study.

According to the study, walking slowly could indicate that there is a buildup of beta amyloid proteins in the brain, a marker of Alzheimer's disease. The details are published online at the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

French researchers who led the study looked at 128 elderly people who have not been diagnosed with Alzheimer's but were at risk for it because of memory problems. They found that those who walked more slighly tend to have higher amyloid plaque buildup in their brain.

While memory lapses in the elderly is a trademark of Alzheimer's disease, researchers say that walking speed could indicate early warning signs of the disease in the body.

"It's possible that having subtle walking disturbances in addition to memory concerns may signal Alzheimer's disease, even before people show any clinical symptoms," said lead author Dr. Natalia del Campo of the Gerontopole and the Centre of Excellence in Neurodegeneration of Toulouse (University Hospital Toulouse), in a statement, as reported by CBS.

To measure the amyloid buildup in the brain, the participants who are in their 70s underwent various brain scans. They also took various tests to check their mobility as well as memory and thinking skills. Their walking pace was also measured as researchers determined how long they can walk 13 feet at their normal pace. According to Mirror, the average speed was 3.5 feet per second.

However, the researchers note that amyloid buildup in the brain do not cause slow walking speed, only an association. There is no cause for alarm as slow walking can be caused by many things and might not have anything to do with the brain, an expert told CBS.

"While forgetfulness and confusion are usually the first symptoms that people associate with Alzheimer's disease, there can also be a range of physical symptoms, such as mobility problems, said Dr. Laura Phipps of Alzheimer's Research UK, via Telegraph. "It will be important to follow more people over a longer period of time to look at changes in walking pace to better understand whether slower movement could be a consequence of Alzheimer's, or an independent event driven by other shared risk factors."

Dr. Louise Walker of Alzheimer's Society adds that the condition affects people differently, concentration and navigation can sometimes be caused by it. Further research needs to be done to see if amyloid should be taken into consideration when diagnosing a possible patient.