The New Red Flag for Alzheimer’s? This is what a new study says…

A groundbreaking study by UCL suggests that the way people turn when walking may help find people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, offering a novel diagnostic approach.

Individuals in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease struggle with turning while walking, reveals a recent virtual reality-based study conducted by researchers at UCL.

Published in Current Biology, this research utilized a digital model to delve deeper into the navigation mistakes often seen in Alzheimer’s patients.

Under the guidance of Professor Neil Burgess and his team from the Space and Memory group at UCL’s Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, participants were divided into three groups: young healthy individuals (31 in total), older healthy individuals (36 in total), and those with slight cognitive issues (43 in total). These participants were then equipped with virtual reality headsets, enabling them to move authentically.

During the experiment, participants followed a set path marked by numbered cones, which had two straight segments interrupted by a turn. Afterward, they were required to navigate back to where they began without guidance.

The experiment took place under three distinct environmental settings to challenge the participant’s ability to navigate: a consistent virtual backdrop, a scenario where the ground’s details shifted to a basic texture, and one where all recognizable landmarks in the virtual space were momentarily erased.

The team discovered that individuals in the early stages of Alzheimer’s frequently misjudged the route’s turns and had inconsistent directional instincts. Interestingly, these specific navigation challenges were absent in the older but healthy participants and those with only minor cognitive issues who displayed no telltale Alzheimer’s signs.

This indicates that these navigation challenges are uniquely linked to Alzheimer’s and aren’t merely a result of normal aging or broad cognitive decline, which holds potential diagnostic value.

Co-lead author, Dr. Andrea Castegnaro from UCL’s Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, shared, “Our findings offer a new avenue for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease by focusing on specific navigational errors. However, we know that more work is needed to confirm these early findings.

“We aim to develop practical tests that can be easily integrated into clinical settings, considering common constraints such as limited space and time. Traditional navigation tests often have requirements that are challenging to meet in a clinical environment. Our research focuses on specific aspects of navigation that are more adaptable to these constraints.

“We are designing these tests to be both quick and comprehensive, aiming to collect sufficient data for a reliable diagnosis in a time-efficient manner, thereby increasing the likelihood of their widespread adoption.”

Current data suggests that around 944,000 individuals in the UK are grappling with dementia, with over 60% of these diagnoses believed to be Alzheimer’s.

In the US, forecasts indicate that the count of those 65 and above with Alzheimer’s dementia might see a two-fold increase, reaching an estimated 13.8 million by 2060, unless significant medical innovations emerge. Such patterns highlight the escalating strain Alzheimer’s places on both healthcare infrastructures and the broader community.

Prompt detection is vital for the disease’s effective control and care. Although modern blood tests can identify tau and amyloid protein levels, signaling potential Alzheimer’s, relying solely on these tests may not be enough.

Dr. Castegnaro remarked, “Cognitive assessments are still needed to understand when the first cognitive impairments develop, and when it comes to existing spatial memory tests used in clinics, those often rely on verbal competence. Our tests aim to offer a more practical tool that doesn’t rely on language or cultural background.”

Source: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.09.047

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