Gait as a Potential Marker of Cognitive Decrements in Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM): Early Results from the ENBIND Study
Conference: ISPGR Edinburgh 2019 - Accepted
Abstract: Background and Aim: Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM) in midlife represents a potent risk factor for the development of dementia in later life. Early indicators to highlight particular individuals with T2DM who are at risk of cognitive decline are lacking. Subtle abnormalities in gait (and particularly dual-task gait with a cognitive task) have emerged as a potential predictor of cognitive decline in older adults, but have not been investigated in patients with T2DM. The ENBIND Study (Exploring Novel Biomarkers of Brain health IN Diabetes) aims to assess patients with T2DM in midlife without cognitive impairment and follow participants over the course of several years to establish early predictors of cognitive decline in this poorly characterised yet high-risk group. Methods: Patients with midlife T2DM (40-65 yrs) were recruited at the time of their diabetic clinic appointment. Patients were excluded if they had a diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy, peripheral vascular disease, musculoskeletal disease, previous stroke, any form of diagnosed cognitive impairment or diabetic retinopathy/nephropathy. Patients underwent medical/diabetes assessment and examination by a physician. Cognition was screened using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and assessed using a computerised cognitive battery designed for prodromal Alzheimer's Disease (CANTAB®). Gait was then assessed using both a raw clinical measure (stopwatch) and Shimmer® Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) across four tasks: (i) 30 metre walk at a normal pace (turn at 15m), (ii) 30 metre fast walk (turn at 15m) (iii) dual cognitive-gait task (reciting alternate letters of the alphabet) and (iv) a long walk at a self-selected pace. Between group differences were assessed using t-tests and appropriate non-parametric equivalents Results: 20 participants with T2DM (52.05 yrs ± 2.13) and 10 matched healthy volunteers (mean age 52.2 yrs ± 2.74) were recruited. T2DM was associated with a significantly lower score on the MoCA (29.2 vs 27.6; p=0.0452). Participants with T2DM had slower but non-significant self-selected (0.87 ms-1 vs 0.8ms-1) and fast gait speed (0.66 ms-1 vs 0.59 ms-1). On the dual-cognitive task, participants with T2DM made more errors (1.1 vs 0.6), and had higher dual-task cost (9.17% vs 2.7%, p=0.014). Dual-task cost (the percentage decrement in walking speed due to introduction of the cognitive task) was significantly correlated with total MoCA score (R2 = 0.17, p =0.031). Discussion: Otherwise healthy participants with midlife T2DM display significantly poorer scores on MoCA. Performance on the dual-cognitive gait task was significantly correlated with MoCA score. Our study adds evidence to the presence of cognitive decrements in midlife T2DM, in-keeping with its role as a potent risk factor for the later development of dementia. We provide early data to support the utility of simple clinical gait analysis, particularly where a dual-cognitive paradigm is employed. Expansion of the sample size of patients in this study as well as longitudinal follow up should afford more detailed insight into using gait as a potential marker for cognition in this high risk cohort
Listed In: Biomechanical Engineering, Biomechanics, Gait, Neuroscience,
Tagged In: Cognitive Decrements, Dementia, Diabetes, gait analysis
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Abstract: Background and Aim: Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM) in midlife represents a potent risk factor for the development of dementia in later life. Early indicators to highlight particular individuals with T2DM who are at risk of cognitive decline are lacking. Subtle abnormalities in gait (and particularly dual-task gait with a cognitive task) have emerged as a potential predictor of cognitive decline in older adults, but have not been investigated in patients with T2DM. The ENBIND Study (Exploring Novel Biomarkers of Brain health IN Diabetes) aims to assess patients with T2DM in midlife without cognitive impairment and follow participants over the course of several years to establish early predictors of cognitive decline in this poorly characterised yet high-risk group. Methods: Patients with midlife T2DM (40-65 yrs) were recruited at the time of their diabetic clinic appointment. Patients were excluded if they had a diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy, peripheral vascular disease, musculoskeletal disease, previous stroke, any form of diagnosed cognitive impairment or diabetic retinopathy/nephropathy. Patients underwent medical/diabetes assessment and examination by a physician. Cognition was screened using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and assessed using a computerised cognitive battery designed for prodromal Alzheimer's Disease (CANTAB®). Gait was then assessed using both a raw clinical measure (stopwatch) and Shimmer® Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) across four tasks: (i) 30 metre walk at a normal pace (turn at 15m), (ii) 30 metre fast walk (turn at 15m) (iii) dual cognitive-gait task (reciting alternate letters of the alphabet) and (iv) a long walk at a self-selected pace. Between group differences were assessed using t-tests and appropriate non-parametric equivalents Results: 20 participants with T2DM (52.05 yrs ± 2.13) and 10 matched healthy volunteers (mean age 52.2 yrs ± 2.74) were recruited. T2DM was associated with a significantly lower score on the MoCA (29.2 vs 27.6; p=0.0452). Participants with T2DM had slower but non-significant self-selected (0.87 ms-1 vs 0.8ms-1) and fast gait speed (0.66 ms-1 vs 0.59 ms-1). On the dual-cognitive task, participants with T2DM made more errors (1.1 vs 0.6), and had higher dual-task cost (9.17% vs 2.7%, p=0.014). Dual-task cost (the percentage decrement in walking speed due to introduction of the cognitive task) was significantly correlated with total MoCA score (R2 = 0.17, p =0.031). Discussion: Otherwise healthy participants with midlife T2DM display significantly poorer scores on MoCA. Performance on the dual-cognitive gait task was significantly correlated with MoCA score. Our study adds evidence to the presence of cognitive decrements in midlife T2DM, in-keeping with its role as a potent risk factor for the later development of dementia. We provide early data to support the utility of simple clinical gait analysis, particularly where a dual-cognitive paradigm is employed. Expansion of the sample size of patients in this study as well as longitudinal follow up should afford more detailed insight into using gait as a potential marker for cognition in this high risk cohort
Listed In: Biomechanical Engineering, Biomechanics, Gait, Neuroscience,
Tagged In: Cognitive Decrements, Dementia, Diabetes, gait analysis
View PDF | Contact Author