{"id":99905,"date":"2023-10-11T17:58:06","date_gmt":"2023-10-11T17:58:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebritycovernews.com\/?p=99905"},"modified":"2023-10-11T17:58:06","modified_gmt":"2023-10-11T17:58:06","slug":"new-early-warning-sign-of-alzheimers-disease-discovered-and-it-affects-how-you-walk-the-sun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebritycovernews.com\/lifestyle\/new-early-warning-sign-of-alzheimers-disease-discovered-and-it-affects-how-you-walk-the-sun\/","title":{"rendered":"New early warning sign of Alzheimer\u2019s disease discovered – and it affects how you walk | The Sun"},"content":{"rendered":"

ANALYSING the way people walk could help spot Alzheimer\u2019s, scientists have said.<\/p>\n

Most people with the condition are usually only diagnosed once the disease has progressed and is causing short-term memory loss, mood swings or a lack of interest in day-to-day activities.<\/p>\n

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But a new study has found that forgetting which way you came could be an early sign of Alzheimer's.<\/p>\n

People with the disease \u201coverestimated turns\u201d and had a worse sense of direction when trying to retrace their steps during a test.\u00a0<\/p>\n

More than half a million Brits have Alzheimer\u2019s, making it the top cause of dementia and one of the country\u2019s top killers.<\/p>\n

But over half of those with the condition are diagnosed late because tests are complex.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Sian Gregory, of the Alzheimer\u2019s Society, said a walking exam could benefit \u201chundreds of thousands\u201d of people by spotting it sooner.<\/p>\n

She said: \u201cIt may offer a way to detect disease-specific brain changes in the early stages of dementia.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dementia\u00a0is a condition that refers to a group of disorders affecting brain functioning – Alzheimer's\u00a0disease is the most common form.<\/p>\n

Early detection of dementia can help people make important decisions for the future and weigh possible treatments options.<\/p>\n

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The study, published in Current Biology, compared the navigation skills of 110 people of different ages \u2013 14 of them had Alzheimer\u2019s.<\/p>\n

Wearing virtual reality goggles, each person was directed to a certain point and then asked to walk back alone.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The study found that people with early Alzheimer\u2019s consistently had a poorer sense of direction than people without the disease, regardless of their age.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Author Dr Andrea Castegnaro, from University College London, said: \u201cIt seems that when you ask people with Alzheimer\u2019s to turn a certain amount, they think they have turned much more than they actually did.\u201d<\/p>\n

The research adds to growing evidence suggesting a change in walking habits, such as pace, can indicate cognitive decline.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Dr Andrea added: \u201cWe aim to develop practical tests that can be easily integrated into clinical settings, considering common constraints such as limited space and time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Two new drugs, named donanemab and lecanemab, have been proven to slow the disease, but neither are available on the NHS yet.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Exercise, socialising, healthy eating and cutting down on booze are known to protect against the disease. <\/p>\n

Other signs and symptoms <\/h3>\n

Dementia affects a person’s mental abilities<\/p>\n

This can include: <\/p>\n