Gait and/or balance disturbances associated with Alzheimer's dementia among older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment: A longitudinal observational study.

This was a referral-based sample from Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers, not a population-based sample, so selection bias is possible. The study was observational. It can show that baseline gait or balance disturbance occurred before Alzheimer's disease diagnosis, but it cannot show that gait or balance disturbance caused Alzheimer's disease. Important possible confounders were not measured, including diet, physical activity, family history of Alzheimer's disease, vision, medication use, hospitalization, surgery, and delirium. The gait and balance measure was the Postural Instability and Gait Disturbance subscale, which the authors note may be more sensitive or specific to Parkinson's disease than to general gait and balance problems. The sample was mostly White (84%), so the findings may not apply equally to all older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment. The study analysed baseline gait and balance status only, not how gait or balance changed over time. A post hoc power analysis was used after positive findings, which the authors caution should be interpreted carefully.

The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Do not read this as proof that improving gait or balance will prevent Alzheimer's disease. The study was observational and only compared baseline gait or balance disturbance with later Alzheimer's disease, so it cannot show cause, and balance disturbance alone was not associated with higher risk after adjustment.