| Aim: The patients who were visiting the cognitive impairment clinic were tested to investigate the characteristics and relationship between cognitive dysfunction and gait disorder. Then it was analysed that whether the gait disorder could be an early clinical sign of the decline in cognitive function.Methods: We evaluated neuropsychological assessment(MMSE, Mo CA, ACE-R, TMT-A, DST),gait balance test(FTSTT, TUG, Berg Balance Scale) and activities of daily living questionnaire(ADL) in 80 patients, including 30 with the normal control group,29 with MCI and 21 with AD.Results:1) Compared with normal control group, MCI and AD patients had gait disturbance(P<0.05), but there were no significant difference in gait disorders between MCI and AD. It was showed that gait disorder might be an early sign of mild cognitive impairment, however gait disturbance didn’t decline with the aggravation of cognitive function. 2) Positive correlations were found between walking speed and attention(P=0.000), visuospatial(P=0.022), executive function(P=0.003), long-term memory(P=0.034). They were also found between balance function and attention(P=0.004), memory(P=0.002), language fluency(P=0.002). 3) Considering gait disorder might be an early sign of mild cognitive impairment, ROC curve were investigated and the area under the curve was 0.872, which suggested decline in walking speed and the prolong in walking time were good predictive factors in the decline of cognitive function, and the best cut-off point for the diagnosis was 8.855 s, meaning that when the time of the test were over 8.855 s, it might suggest that patients had cognitive impairment.Conclusion: The patients with cognitive dysfunction had gait disorders(balance disorder, poor stability, poor coordination, slow walking speed). Gait disorders might be an early sign of cognitive decline, long-term follow-up would be more conducive for early diagnosis and treatment of patients with dementia. |
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