What if we could spot the first signs of cognitive disorders simply … observing a person walking? It is not a fiction, but a track seriously studied by researchers, relayed by Neuroscience News. According to their results published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease Reportsa walking test on a curved path may well be a more reliable indicator of cognitive decline than traditional methods.
Why a curved path says more than the right layout
Walking straight, everyone can do it. Or almost. But when it comes to walking by following a curved layout, things get complicated. This type of walking involves much more than simple repetitive movements. You have to adjust your balance, anticipate turns, synchronize movement and orientation – so many tasks that strongly mobilize the upper cognitive functions.
“”Unlike straight line, the winding march simultaneously initiates several regions of the brain, including those involved in balance, motor planning and attention“, explain Neuroscience News.
This is where the interest of the test resides. Because these functions are precisely those that start to decline very early in pathologies such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Ultra precise monitoring technology
For this study, researchers used an ultra-sensitive depth camera. This technological tool captures the movements of 25 body joints while the participants carry out two tests: one on a right path, the other on a winding path.
“”The signals of the 25 body joints were processed to extract 50 approach markers for each test“, Details the team, quoted by the media. These data were then compared using statistical analyzes between healthy groups of participants and others suffering from light cognitive impairment (MCI).
Result ? People with cognitive disorders encountered much more difficulty during the curved walking test: imbalance, irregularity of the step, loss of fluidity in the movement. Significant differences, much more marked than in linear march.
Towards an earlier detection of Alzheimer’s disease?
This test does not replace clinical diagnostics. But it could become a precious complementary tool to identify the first signs of cognitive decline, often invisible in traditional tests. “”Walking on a winding path represents a complex motor activity, closer to the situations of real life“Note researchers in their conclusion.
The interest is twofold: a more natural method, and above all more sensitive to these small deviations than the brain usually compensates. In other words, this test could detect earlier, more finely, which conventional tests sometimes let pass.