Doctors often have trouble distinguishing between early Lewy body dementia and early Parkinson’s disease. These two neurological disorders share many symptoms, including changes in movement, and are often misdiagnosed in their early stages. A new study from the University of Waterloo suggests that quantifying walking behavior may help distinguish between these diseases.
The study found that people with early-stage Lewy body dementia walked slower, had shorter stride lengths, and had lower gait rhythms than people with early-stage Parkinson’s disease. These differences were most pronounced when participants walked while performing a second task, such as counting backwards.
We compared the gait patterns of patients with early Lewy body dementia and those with early Parkinson’s disease to see if walking behavior could help distinguish between the two conditions, and found that they could be distinguished. This finding highlights that it will now be possible to measure movement in a more detailed way, potentially addressing important clinical questions. Because the two diseases appear similar in their early stages, patients can receive an incorrect diagnosis, which impacts treatment decisions, care plans, and the expectations of patients and their families. ”
Dr. Kylena Egoets Martens, professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences at the University of Waterloo and lead author of the study
A simple and quantitative gait assessment that can be performed in the clinical setting could help clinicians diagnose patients more accurately and earlier. Early diagnosis may allow for earlier intervention, more targeted symptom management, and clearer guidance for caregivers.
Although the researchers expected to see differences between the groups, one result stood out.
“Walking without distraction from a secondary task was less effective at discriminating differences than walking while multitasking,” Egetz-Martens said. “When we asked participants to walk while counting backwards, we discovered changes that were not as obvious during normal walking.
“The ultimate goal is to identify patients sooner, intervene earlier, and improve their quality of life before symptoms become more severe.”
The results demonstrate that cognitive load, or how attention and movement interact, is important in distinguishing between seemingly similar neurological diseases.
The initiative reflects the University of Waterloo’s focus on the Future of Health, bringing together researchers in medicine, engineering and data science to develop practical, technology-enabled approaches to improving care. This study highlights how accessible tools can support fairer and more accurate diagnosis by translating everyday behaviors into meaningful clinical insights.
Researchers plan to expand the approach to other conditions and to people in the early preclinical stages of diseases known to be at high risk.
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Reference magazines:
Mathias, KDA, Others. (2025). Distinguishing walking behavior from early stages of Lewy body dementia and Parkinson’s disease. gait and posture. DOI: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2025.110034. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0966636225007611?via%3Dihub
