Brain Disorders & Therapy

Evaluating gait and balance in 17 Greek amnestic- mild cognitive impairment (a-MCI) patients

7^th International Conference on Neurological Disorders & Stroke

September 20-21, 2018 | Rome, Italy

Nikova Aleksandrina Sasheva, Vlotinou P, Malkots B, Ichtiar A, Vadikolias K, Terzoudi A and Iliopoulos I

Democritus University of Thrace, Greece

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: Brain Disord Ther

Abstract:

Introduction: MCI syndrome is conceptualized as a transition state between normal cognition and dementia, including impairments not only in cognitive domains but also, in gait function. Gait dysfunction in a-MCI patients, is represented with worse rhythm, pace and variability scores but is purely correlated with balance in many researches. A research protocol was conducted to evaluate gait and balance in Greek a-MCI patients. Methodology & Participants: MMSE (Mini Mental State Examination) and Tinetti Scale was applied in (N=17) patients who were diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), in the outpatient clinic in the Department of Neurology of the Democritus University of Thrace in Greece. Results: A Pearson???s (r) correlation coefficient was conducted. There was evidence to accept a null hypothesis between the parameters: Tinetti score (M=18,47, SD=5,591) & MMSE: (M=25,29 SD= 1,359) r=.129, p=.622, MMSE & Gait score:(M=8,65, SD= 2,178) r=.143, p=.292, MMSE & Balance score: (M=9,88, SD=3,806) r=.116, p=.658. On the other hand, we found a strong negative association between Tinetti score & age in patients with MCI (M=77,12, SD=7,705) r=.486, p<.05. Conclusions: Higher age was associated with lower level of gait and balance skills in mild cognitive impairment patients. Further research is needed to be implemented in larger Greek MCI patients??? groups.

Biography :

Nikova Aleksandrina Sasheva started her Residency in Neurosurgery in September 2018. She is currently pursuing her PhD in the Department of Neurosurgery at Democritus University of Thrace, Greece. Since May 2018 she is a Mentor for "Fundamental neuroscience for neuroimaging" (a course) designed by Johns Hopkins University.

E-mail: Nikovaalex@gmail.com