Home › Research › Getting a diagnosis
Improving Gait Ability and Cognition Function through Action Observation Training in Elderly with Dementia
Cinoo Kang, Se‐Hee Park, Sung‐Min Son. Neurorehabilitation, 2025-01-22
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
BackgroundDementia is one of the most prevalent conditions among older adults.ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the effect of action observation training (AOT) on gait ability and cognition in older individuals with dementia.MethodsA total of 36 participants were randomly assigned to the experimental (n=18) or control (n=18) group. The 5-week intervention involved 45-min sessions. The participants engaged in general group exercises for 30 min. The experimental group watched a training video for 5 min, while the control group watched a scenic video. Subsequently, both groups underwent functional training for 10 min. All participants were assessed using a gait analyzer (G-walk), Dynamic Gait Index (DGI), timed up and go (TUG) test, and the Korean version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-K) before and after the intervention.ResultsThe two groups showed significant within-group changes in gait velocity, cadence, stride length, DGI, and MoCA-K scores (p<0.05). However, the TUG test showed a significant differences only in the experimental group (p<0.05). A significant difference was observed between the experimental and control groups regarding the changes in gait velocity, cadence, DGI, TUG test, and MoCA-K score after the intervention (p<0.05).ConclusionsThe study suggest that AOT is effective in improving the gait and cognitive abilities of older individuals with dementia.
Key findings
- All participants were assessed using a gait analyzer (G-walk), Dynamic Gait Index (DGI), timed up and go (TUG) test, and the Korean version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-K) before and after the intervention.ResultsThe two groups showed significant within-group changes in gait velocity, cadence, stride length, DGI, and MoCA-K scores (p<0.05).
- However, the TUG test showed a significant differences only in the experimental group (p<0.05).
- A significant difference was observed between the experimental and control groups regarding the changes in gait velocity, cadence, DGI, TUG test, and MoCA-K score after the intervention (p<0.05).ConclusionsThe study suggest that AOT is effective in improving the gait and cognitive abilities of older individuals with dementia.
Why it matters
In a small randomized trial of 36 older people with dementia, action observation training improved some gait and cognitive measures compared to a control group. This is a small preliminary study and does not show a cure or prevention for Alzheimer's disease.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Getting a diagnosis →
Study details
- Participants18
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 34/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design and effect reported because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Neurorehabilitation) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Neurorehabilitation: journal h-index 97 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 18 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 1 / 2 | Randomised (as stated in the record) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 2 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 1.3× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 2 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 0 / 4 | Last-listed author Sung‐Min Son: h-index 2 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Cheongju University: institution h-index 89 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40260723) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 34 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
May need a subscription OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 6 Feb 1020), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Kang, C., Park, S., & Son, S. (2025). Improving Gait Ability and Cognition Function through Action Observation Training in Elderly with Dementia. Neurorehabilitation. https://doi.org/10.1177/10538135241296772
Vancouver
Kang C, Park S, Son S. Improving Gait Ability and Cognition Function through Action Observation Training in Elderly with Dementia. Neurorehabilitation. 2025. doi:10.1177/10538135241296772. PMID: 40260723.
BibTeX
@article{kang2025-40260723,
author = {Kang, Cinoo and Park, Se‐Hee and Son, Sung‐Min},
title = {{Improving Gait Ability and Cognition Function through Action Observation Training in Elderly with Dementia}},
journal = {Neurorehabilitation},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1177/10538135241296772},
pmid = {40260723},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1177/10538135241296772}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.