GREATER DOPAMINERGIC SIGNALING IN PUTAMEN IS RELATED TO BETTER GAIT QUALITY IN ADULTS WITHOUT PARKINSON’S DISEASE
2024
Dopamine and Gait Quality in Older Adults
Sample size: 199
publication
Evidence: moderate
Author Information
Author(s): Gil-Silva Mauricio, Rosano Caterina, Bohnen Nicolaas, Kritchevsky Stephen, Halilaj Eni, Bohlke Kayla, Rosso Andrea
Primary Institution: University of Pittsburgh
Hypothesis
Lower DA signaling was associated with poorer gait quality.
Conclusion
Higher dopamine signaling in the putamen is linked to better gait quality in older adults.
Supporting Evidence
- Lower posterior putamen DA binding site density was associated with greater vertical wavelet entropy.
- Lower posterior putamen DA binding site density was associated with greater medial/lateral Lempel-Ziv complexity.
- Positive trending associations were found for posterior putamen DA binding site density in medial/lateral entropy rate.
- Positive trending associations were found for posterior putamen DA binding site density in medial/lateral wavelet entropy.
Takeaway
This study found that having more dopamine in a specific brain area helps older people walk better.
Methodology
Participants underwent PET imaging to estimate dopamine signaling and used accelerometers to measure gait quality.
Participant Demographics
Average age 75, 61.81% female, average BMI 28.22.
Statistical Information
P-Value
< 0.10
Confidence Interval
[-0.425, -0.060]
Statistical Significance
p<0.10
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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