Association between mild cognitive impairment and trajectory-based spatial parameters during timed up and go test...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Neurology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• The Timed Up and Go (TUG) test is recognized for assessing mobility and potentially cognitive function in older adults.
• Investigating objective spatial parameters from the TUG test could offer new insights into cognitive health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the association between trajectory-based spatial parameters, measured by a laser range sensor (LRS), and cognitive impairment in community-dwelling older adults.
• To determine if specific TUG test gait characteristics are predictive of mild cognitive impairment.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 63 community-dwelling older adults.
• Trajectory-based spatial parameters (minimum marker distance, center of gravity area, forward/whole phase ratio) were measured using LRS during the TUG test.
• Mild cognitive impairment was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination score.

Main Results:

• Older adults with mild cognitive impairment showed a shorter minimum distance from the marker compared to those with normal cognition.
• A narrower area of the center of gravity in the forward phase and a larger forward/whole phase ratio were also observed in the mild cognitive impairment group.
• Multivariate logistic regression confirmed that shorter minimum marker distance, narrower forward phase center of gravity area, and larger forward/whole phase ratio were independently associated with mild cognitive impairment.

Conclusions:

• Spatial parameters derived from LRS-based TUG testing are significantly associated with cognitive impairment in older adults.
• Shorter minimum distances to a marker and asymmetrical gait trajectories during the TUG test are key indicators of cognitive impairment in this population.