New research from the University of Waterloo announced on Mar. 24 suggests that analyzing how people walk could help doctors tell apart early dementia with Lewy bodies and early Parkinson's disease. Both conditions share similar symptoms, including changes in movement, making them difficult to diagnose accurately in their early stages.
This topic is important because accurate and timely diagnosis can lead to better treatment options and clearer guidance for patients and caregivers. Early intervention may improve quality of life before symptoms become more severe.
The study found that individuals with early dementia with Lewy bodies tend to walk more slowly, take shorter steps, and have a lower walking rhythm compared to those with early Parkinson's disease. These differences were most noticeable when participants walked while performing a secondary task, such as counting backward. "Walking without interference from a secondary task was less effective at identifying differences than walking while multitasking," Ehgoetz Martens said. "Asking participants to walk while counting backward revealed changes that weren't as obvious during regular walking." Martens added, "Ultimately, the goal is to identify individuals sooner, intervene earlier and improve quality of life before symptoms become more severe."
The results highlight the role of cognitive load—how attention interacts with movement—in distinguishing between neurological diseases that otherwise appear similar.
According to the University of Waterloo release, this work is part of its Health Futures focus which brings together researchers across health, engineering and data science fields to develop practical approaches for improving care by translating everyday movement into meaningful clinical insight.
Researchers plan to expand their approach by applying it to other conditions and investigating people in the earliest stages of disease or those known to be at higher risk.
