Can changes in movement be a sign of dementia?

Movement Disorder Week provides an opportunity to create awareness about Parkinson’s disease and its links with dementia

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There are many varied signs of dementia, and we recommend downloading Checklist for dementia symptoms and changes, and using it to record any changes you’ve noticed.

One of the changes you may have noticed is finding it harder to walk and move, for example, shuffling, feeling stiff or being slow. Changes like this can be related to dementia and many other conditions, however it may also be related to a movement disorder which has links to dementia:

Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive degenerative neurological condition characterised by both motor (movement) and non-motor symptoms. It is estimated to affect over 10 million people worldwide and around 100,000 Australians are living with Parkinson’s.

The average age of diagnosis is 65 years. While the risk of contracting the condition increases with age, Parkinson’s is not part of the natural aging process. Younger people are also diagnosed with the disease, and this is called Young Onset Parkinson’s.

Parkinson’s is often thought of as a disease that only involves movement. Yet many people with Parkinson’s complain of slowness in thinking, loss of memory, decreased attention span and difficulty finding words.

There is no definitive medical test (blood test or scan) to diagnose Parkinson’s. It is diagnosed by identifying a range of symptoms and features.

Symptoms and features of Parkinson’s

Motor symptoms of Parkinson’s include:

Resting tremor (eg shaking of the hands when the hand is at rest)
Slowed movement (bradykinesia)
Rigid or very stiff muscles
Posture and balance problems
Reduced facial expression (blank-like appearance)
Gait problems such as ‘freezing’, shuffling, drooped shoulders and lack of arm swing when walking.

Non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s include:

Cognitive impairment
Depression and anxiety
Sleep difficulties
Loss of sense of smell
Constipation
Speech (voice becomes quieter)
Swallowing problems
Writing problems (writing may appear small)
Vision difficulties
Apathy and fatigue.

Parkinson’s symptoms affect everyone differently. Many people will experience some symptoms and not others. The progression of the disease also varies between people. Recent research suggests up to 70 percent of people with Parkinson’s will develop dementia as the disease progresses.

Parkinson’s dementia and Lewy body dementia

Parkinson’s dementia is diagnosed if the onset of dementia occurs a year or more after the onset of motor symptoms. If symptoms of dementia appear before or at the same time as symptoms of Parkinson’s, it is called dementia with Lewy bodies.

People with Parkinson’s or Lewy body dementia have trouble with their visuo-spatial skills, concentration and attention, movement and falls. They frequently have abnormal movements, like sudden jerks, during sleep. Their concentration and attention can fluctuate so that the person can be really clear in the morning but muddled and confused later that same day. These fluctuations can also be experienced over a few days. People with Lewy body dementia sometimes see things that aren’t there (visual hallucinations, typically of people or animals) and may believe things that aren’t true (delusions).

If you, or someone you care about, are concerned you may have the signs of Parkinson’s disease or Lewy body dementia, visit your GP for an assessment. Read the page How to get the most out of a GP assessment.