Alzheimer's disease is likely to present with a number of symptoms as your brain begins to deteriorate. Memory problems are some of the first to present but with this type of disease, you will notice a slew of other conditions that you may not think are associated with Alzheimer's Disease.
Why do your feet drag or shuffle with Alzheimer's disease?
The way we walk may seem like something you hardly would even bat an eyelash at because it is such an innate activity once we master it by the age of one. On the contrary, walking is something that can give a lot of insight into the current health of a patient. Neurologists spend years mastering possible walking patterns to help determine what type of damage may have occurred in the brain. There are subtle clues that once mastered can even help doctors make a hard diagnosis in a matter of a few seconds after a patient only takes a few steps.
This holds true for patients who walk with a shuffling gait. This just means that a patient will take very small steps and will not lift their feet too high off the ground. It is a manifestation that can occur when a patient has damage to the parietal lobe of the brain. This is the center of our brain responsible for muscle control. As the brain becomes more damaged as Alzheimer's Disease worsens, parts of the brain will start to shrink more rapidly. This is the process known as atrophy. Another key region of the brain that will experience atrophy would be the cerebellum. This is a structure that is responsible for not only memory but also balance.
When both the parietal lobe and the cerebellum shrink, the consequences can be severe. A patient will have problems not only commanding their legs to move but they will also feel uneasy standing and are prone to sudden falls. Because of this instability, the brain tries to trick the feet into taking smaller steps without going too high off of the ground in order to maintain balance and control as best as possible. This is why a patient with advanced Alzheimer's disease will have such a distinctive shuffling gait.
Another place where this type of gait can be observed frequently would be in patients with Parkinson's disease. The underlying cause of the problem is a little different in this group of patients but they will also utilize this shuffling stance in order to help prevent sudden falls.
What treatment options are available to you?
The most important prophylactic that can be employed early on is to ensure that a patient with Alzheimer's has an appropriate walking aid to help maintain mobility around their house. A cane or walker are two common methods that can help provide support and avoid a fall.
Another useful tip to help patients with a gait disturbance would be to redecorate your house in order to prevent potential trips. Throw rugs on the floor or hardwood floors are potential stumbling blocks that can lead to injury. Making clear paths throughout the house and removing any smaller furniture that could be tripped over can improve mobility. In an ideal world, a patient with a shuffling gait would benefit best with wall-to-wall carpeting. This will provide a stable and consistent barrier throughout the house to cushion any potential falls. Studies indicate that monotone colors of carpet are the most effective in this case. Changes in shade or color can be perceived as steps so a person with advanced Alzheimer's may become confused and trip.
Regular exercise can also play an important role. This will not only strengthen the muscles but also improve core strength and increase stability. Leg strengthening exercises should be the focus of this type of therapy. This will also increase the confidence in mobility in these patients and allow them to live more independent lives.
As the brain shrinks, medications may not be able to compensate for the damage that occurs as neurons are no longer able to function as effectively but studies do indicate that patients suffering from advanced Alzheimer's disease do benefit from drugs designed for people with Parkinson's disease. Parkinson's is a type of disease marked by low levels of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is essential for making muscle systems work and smooth coordination. When the levels are low, patients will have a harder time to control their movements. Some of the key tell-tale signs of Parkinson's disease would be rigidity and the same shuffling gait as we have been discussing in patients with Alzheimer's.
In a recent study, it was determined that patients who eventually develop Alzheimer's disease tend to have lower levels of dopamine compared to the general population. Higher-powered diagnostic studies are currently being researched that are more reliable and accurate that computer tomography (CT) scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans used in today's medicine. It is believed that these patients can be caught earlier on in order to begin therapy to replace dopamine levels to delay potential symptoms of Alzheimer's.