title: Association between gait variability and brain ventricle attributes: a brain mapping study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It remains unknown which brain regions are involved in the maintenance of gait dynamic stability in older adults, as characterized by a low stride time variability. Expansion of lateral cerebral ventricles is an indirect marker of adjacent brain tissue volume. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between stride time variability and the volume of sub-regions of the lateral cerebral ventricles among older community-dwellers.
  
  
  METHODS
  One-hundred-fifteen participants free of hydrocephalus from the GAIT study (mean, 70.4±4.4years; 43.5% female) were included in this analysis. Stride time variability was measured at self-selected pace with a 10m electronic portable walkway (GAITRite). Participants were separated into 3 groups based on tertiles of stride time variability (i.e., <2.0%; 2.0-2.8%; >2.8%). Brain ventricle sub-volumes were quantified from three-dimensional T1-weighted MRI using semi-automated software. Age, gender, Cumulative Illness Rating Scale for Geriatrics, Mini-Mental State Examination, Go-NoGo, brain vascular burden, 4-item Geriatric Depression Scale, psychoactive drugs, vision, proprioception, body mass index, muscular strength and gait velocity were used as covariates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants with the highest (i.e., worst) tertile of stride time variability exhibited larger temporal horns than those with the lowest (P=0.030) and intermediate tertiles (P=0.028). They also had larger middle portions of ventricular bodies than those with the intermediate tertile (P=0.018). Larger temporal horns were associated with increase in stride time variability (adjusted β=0.86, P=0.005), specifically with the highest tertile of stride time variability (adjusted OR=2.45, P=0.044).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Higher stride time variability was associated with larger temporal horns in older community-dwellers. Addressing focal neuronal losses in temporal lobes may represent an important strategy to prevent gait instability.
authors: Department of Neuroscience, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Angers University Hospital, University Memory Clinic of Angers, UPRES EA 4638, University of Angers, UNAM, Angers, France; Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Parkwood Hospital, St. Joseph's Health Care London, Gait and Brain Lab, Lawson Health Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; Center for Functional and Metabolic Mapping, Robarts Research Institute, Department of Medical Biophysics, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address: CeAnnweiler@chu-angers.fr.
authors: Cedric
authors: C
authors: Annweiler
authors: Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Parkwood Hospital, St. Joseph's Health Care London, Gait and Brain Lab, Lawson Health Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Manuel
authors: M
authors: Montero-Odasso
authors: Center for Functional and Metabolic Mapping, Robarts Research Institute, Department of Medical Biophysics, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Bartha
authors: Center for Functional and Metabolic Mapping, Robarts Research Institute, Department of Medical Biophysics, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Drozd
authors: Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, University Hospital, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Vladimir
authors: V
authors: Hachinski
authors: Department of Neuroscience, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Angers University Hospital, University Memory Clinic of Angers, UPRES EA 4638, University of Angers, UNAM, Angers, France.
authors: Olivier
authors: O
authors: Beauchet
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D001284:Atrophy; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male
keywords: Gait; Hippocampus; Lateral cerebral ventricles; Magnetic resonance imaging; Motor control; Older adults; Temporal lobe