As per a US study, it has been revealed that change in the walking pace of elderly is a symptom of early stage dementia. The research was being carried out by a group of researchers from Oregon Health and Science University in the United States.

Study author Dr Hiroko Dodge was of the view that decline in walking speed is associated with early stage dementia, which is known as mild cognitive impairment (MCI). He further affirmed, “In our study, we used a new technique that included installing infrared sensors in the ceilings of homes, a system designed to detect walking movement in hallways”.

This way, the study researchers were able to detect the variation in speed of elderly. In order to reach at the above given result, the study researchers enrolled 93 people, who were aged above 70 years and were living alone.

The total number was put through series of tests, in which they were given memory and thinking tests and in the next, they were monitored on their walking speed. The procedure carried on for three consecutive years.

Changes were being made in the tests, as sometimes they were asked to go through speed walking tests and sometimes they were asked to remember quite old things from their childhood. After assessing them for the said time period, it was found that those, who walked slow were nine times more at risk of developing dementia.