Rivastigmine improves dual-task gait velocity in patients with Alzheimer’s disease

Abstract Background Gait impairments are common in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Cholinesterase inhibitors used to treat the symptoms of disease, but they have not been shown reduce severity disease-related gait disorders. Methods This was a prospective, single-arm, open-label, non-randomized study. The aim present study determine effect acetylcholinesterase inhibitor rivastigmine on 21 newly diagnosed mild moderate outcome variables were velocity, stride length, and cadence during single-task dual-task trials. subjects also assessed Mini-Mental State Examination, Disease Cooperative Study Activities Daily Living, Functional Assessment Staging, Geriatric Depression Scale. Results After 12 weeks treatment rivastigmine, velocity significantly improved trials; increased from 40.59 ± 13.59 m/min at baseline 46.88 12.73 when counting backward 100 steps 7 while walking, 37.06 15.57 42.03 14.02 naming animals walking. In trials, which consisted only walking their usual pace or fast pace, by administration. Conclusion Our findings indicated that disease observed enhancement might be caused an improvement cognitive function rather than motor function. Trial registration UMIN, UMIN000025869. Registered December 16, 2016, https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/icdr/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000029744