An AIIMS neurosurgeon has cautioned that early signs of dementia might manifest in the legs and motor system, long before memory symptoms appear. The photostory, featured by The Times of India, outlines four signs individuals might be at risk:

1. Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) or an uncontrollable urge to move the legs can serve as an early non‑cognitive indicator. A large retrospective study reported that older adults with RLS had a significantly elevated risk of dementia—especially vascular dementia—with hazard ratios ranging from 1.46 to 1.81.

2. Gait instability, including shuffling walk, frequent stumbling, or difficulty with balance, may precede cognitive decline and signal dementia-linked movement disorders such as Lewy body dementia.

3. Urinary incontinence or suddenly frequent urges can accompany gait difficulties—part of early neurodegenerative changes seen in specific dementia types or conditions like normal pressure hydrocephalus.

4. Subtle cognitive slowing or reduced executive function even before noticeable memory loss may accompany early motor symptoms in mixed dementia forms.

The neurosurgeon emphasises neurologists and caregivers should watch for these early leg and movement symptoms. Early attention may improve outcomes through timely diagnosis and intervention strategies such as managing vascular risk factors or dopaminergic therapies. The photostory underscores shifting focus toward non-memory signs in dementia detection at AIIMS and beyond.