Session Information
Date: Monday, June 5, 2017
Session Title: Parkinsonism, MSA, PSP (Secondary and Parkinsonism-Plus)
Session Time: 1:45pm-3:15pm
Location: Exhibit Hall C
Objective: In this study we explored the association between gait parameters and cognitive function of PSP.
Background: Gait and cognition are interrelated in patients with progressive neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson’s disease. Perhaps, this association of gait and cognition rooted from similar anatomical control of these functions through basal ganglia and prefrontal cortex. We examined the association of cognitive function and gait in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) patients.
Methods: Cognitive functions of 20 PSP patients were initially estimated using MMSE. The cognitive domains were further assessed using Mattis-DRS. Gait velocity, stride length like gait parameters were recorded using gaitrite, a 6.1 metre long electronic walkway. The fall efficacy rating scale was also used to find out the tendency to fall.
Results: The mean age of 20 PSP patients was 63 years where 75% were male. The gait parameters showed no differences across cognitive categories (intact cognition & mild, moderate, severe cognitive impairment) derived from DRS assessment except that patients with severe cognitive impairment had significantly lower cadence (steps/ minute) than mild-moderate cognitive impairment group. Patients with impaired initiation/ perseveration (cognitive domain) had gait velocity of 44 cm/sec compared to 70 cm/sec in patients without impairment (p 0.003). Stride length was significantly lower in the impaired initiation group. Therefore, step count was higher among them. We also observed that patients with impaired attention (cognitive domain) had higher fall efficacy total score of 63 compared to 59 in patients without impairment (p 0.051).
Conclusions: Initiation/ perseveration appeared to be the most robust cognitive domain associated with the gait outcome in PSP patients. Unlike other subdomains patients with impaired attention possibly had a higher fall risk. This study has reinforced a close relationship of gait and cognition in PSP explaining possible thalamo-frontocortical connection.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
K. Chatterjee, B. Mondal, S. Choudhury, H. Kumar. Gait and Cognition in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy: A Significant Association [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2017; 32 (suppl 2). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/gait-and-cognition-in-progressive-supranuclear-palsy-a-significant-association/. Accessed May 17, 2025.« Back to 2017 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/gait-and-cognition-in-progressive-supranuclear-palsy-a-significant-association/