Using a Timed Motor Task to Predict One-Year Functional Decline in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Gerontology
• Movement Science

Background:

• Alzheimer's disease (AD) poses a significant public health challenge, necessitating early detection and intervention strategies.
• Predicting functional decline in individuals at risk for AD, particularly those with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), is essential for timely management.
• Current predictive methods may be costly or invasive, highlighting the need for accessible alternatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the utility of a timed upper-extremity motor task in predicting one-year functional decline.
• To assess the predictive power of motor task performance compared to memory assessments in aMCI individuals.
• To determine if motor behavior can serve as an affordable and sensitive indicator of functional decline.

Main Methods:

• Seventy-nine adults diagnosed with aMCI participated in the study.
• Participants underwent baseline assessments including a timed upper-extremity motor task, delayed memory tests, and subjective/objective measures of daily functioning.
• Functional outcomes were reassessed at a one-year follow-up.

Main Results:

• Performance on the timed upper-extremity motor task significantly predicted daily functioning at the one-year follow-up.
• Motor task performance enhanced the accuracy of predictive models for functional decline by 18-35%.
• Delayed memory performance also contributed to prediction, but motor task offered a novel predictive dimension.

Conclusions:

• Timed upper-extremity motor tasks show promise as a noninvasive, affordable tool for predicting functional decline in individuals with aMCI.
• Motor behavior assessment can be integrated into early detection and monitoring strategies for Alzheimer's disease risk.
• This approach offers a sensitive and cost-effective enrichment strategy for identifying individuals likely to experience functional decline.