title: Spatio-temporal and kinematic gait analysis in patients with Frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer's disease through 3D motion capture.
abstract: Alzheimer's disease (AD) and behavioral variant of Frontotemporal Dementia (bvFTD) are characterized respectively by atrophy in the medial temporal lobe with memory loss and prefrontal and anterior temporal degeneration with dysexecutive syndrome. In this study, we hypothesized that specific gait patterns are induced by either frontal or temporal degeneration. To test this hypothesis, we studied the gait pattern in bvFTD (23) and AD (22) patients in single and dual task ("motor" and "cognitive") conditions. To detect subtle alterations, we performed motion analysis estimating both spatio-temporal parameters and joint excursions. In the single task condition, the bvFTD group was more unstable and slower compared to healthy subjects, while only two stability parameters were compromised in the AD group. During the motor dual task, both velocity and stability parameters worsened further in the bvFTD group. In the same experimental conditions, AD patients showed a significantly lower speed and stride length than healthy subjects. During the cognitive dual task, a further impairment of velocity and stability parameters was observed in the bvFTD group. Interestingly, during the cognitive dual task, the gait performance of the AD group markedly deteriorated, as documented by the impairment of more indices of velocity and stability. Finally, the kinematic data of thigh, knee, and ankle were more helpful in revealing gait impairment than the spatio-temporal parameters alone. In conclusion, our data showed that the dysexecutive syndrome induces specific gait alterations. Furthermore, our results suggest that the gait worsens in the AD patients when the cognitive resources are stressed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Motor Science and Wellness, University of Naples Parthenope, Via Medina 40, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosaria
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rucco
authors.affiliation: Department of Motor Science and Wellness, University of Naples Parthenope, Via Medina 40, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Agosti
authors.affiliation: Department of Motor Science and Wellness, University of Naples Parthenope, Via Medina 40, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jacini
authors.affiliation: Department of Engineering, University of Naples Parthenope, Centro Direzionale Isola C4, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Pierpaolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sorrentino
authors.affiliation: Department of Motor Science and Wellness, University of Naples Parthenope, Via Medina 40, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Varriale
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Second University of Naples, Via Costantinopoli 104, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Stefano
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Unit Frullone ASL NA1, Via Comunale del Principe, 16/A, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Graziella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Milan
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Second University of Naples, Via Costantinopoli 104, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Montella
authors.affiliation: Department of Motor Science and Wellness, University of Naples Parthenope, Via Medina 40, Naples, Italy; Institute for Diagnosis and Cure Hermitage Capodimonte, Via Cupa delle Tozzole 2, Naples, Italy. Electronic address: giuseppe.sorrentino@uniparthenope.it.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sorrentino
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005260:Female; D057180:Frontotemporal Dementia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; Cognition; Executive functions; Frontotemporal dementia; Gait analysis; Kinematics