A team of researchers from University College London has identified a potential early sign of Alzheimer’s disease: difficulty maintaining balance and turning while walking. This finding is highlighted in coverage that emphasizes how gait and spatial challenges may precede more overt cognitive symptoms.
Alzheimer’s disease stands as the most common form of acquired dementia. It typically presents with a gradual decline in cognitive abilities, including memory and problem-solving, along with changes in personality and behavior over time. As the condition progresses, everyday tasks can become increasingly challenging, and individuals may require more support from caregivers and health professionals.
In the recent study, scientists explored whether navigation and turning during ambulation could reveal early brain changes. The research involved 67 healthy volunteers across a range of ages and 41 participants with mild cognitive impairment. All participants wore virtual reality headsets and walked a pathway consisting of two straight segments connected by a bend. After completing the route, they had to return to the starting point relying solely on memory, since the glasses did not display the route again.
The results indicated that individuals with mild cognitive impairment showed subtle difficulties in estimating the correct angle for a turn, signaling potential early disruption in spatial orientation. In contrast, older adults who remained cognitively healthy demonstrated relatively accurate navigation and turning, suggesting that directional challenges are not merely a byproduct of aging alone. These observations align with a growing body of evidence linking spatial navigation deficits to the earliest detectable changes in Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders.
Researchers caution that the study’s sample size is modest and that broader investigations are necessary to confirm the utility of this method as a routine screening tool. If validated, such VR-based navigation assessments could complement existing clinical evaluations, helping clinicians identify at-risk individuals earlier and with greater specificity. This approach would be particularly valuable in primary care and memory clinics across North America, where early identification can influence planning and care decisions for patients and families.
Beyond Alzheimer’s disease, scientists have been pursuing alternative approaches to detect different forms of dementia. For example, recent work has explored noninvasive techniques to identify vascular dementia and other etiologies, underscoring a broader push toward accessible, early diagnostic strategies. In time, a combination of behavioral tasks, imaging biomarkers, and cognitive assessments may offer a more comprehensive picture of brain health, enabling targeted interventions that aim to slow progression and improve quality of life for individuals in Canada, the United States, and beyond.