Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is associated with impairments in both gait and cognition, significantly increasing fall risk. Falls are a leading cause of injury-related disability in older adults, and individuals with AD experience a nearly threefold higher rate of falls compared to neurotypical older adults. There is an urgent need for fall prevention interventions tailored to the unique deficits of individuals with AD. Converging evidence suggests that interventions aiming to reduce fall risk in AD should target both gait and cognition. Rhythmic music interventions, such as Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS) can harness global brain activation and auditory-motor entrainment to facilitate high-intensity exercise to alleviate AD-related neurocognitive and gait dysfunction. This study aims to assess the neural correlates of gait dysfunction in people with AD, evaluate if baseline neurocognitive impairment is predictive of the effects of RAS, and evaluate RAS benefits for individuals with AD.
Community-dwelling
Capable of walking short community distances (approximately 10-15 minutes at a time) without assistance from another person or a device (such as a cane).
Able to communicate with researchers
Age 50-90 (inclusive)
Presence of significant hearing impairment
Current orthopedic, neurologic or other medical condition that limits the ability to walk.
Single group
Metronome
Other interventionRhythmic Auditory stimulation
Functional brain network connectivity
Functional connectivity between the Dorsal Attention Network and Default Mode Network measured using fNIRS during walking.
Stride time variability
Variability in stride timing measured using inertial measurement units during walking.
Gait speed
Average walking speed measured in meters per second during overground walking.
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Boston University Charles River Campus
Lead sponsor
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Collaborator
