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Cortical Hemodynamic Abnormalities Associated With Fine Motor Deficits in Mild Cognitive Impairment
Han Yang1, Jing Teng1, Yilun Qian1
1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics
|July 29, 2025
Summary
Individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) show impaired fine motor skills and reduced brain activity in motor areas. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) can help detect MCI by analyzing brain responses during motor tasks.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is associated with progressive deficits in fine motor skills and bimanual coordination.
- The underlying neural mechanisms of motor impairments in MCI are not well understood.
- Early detection of MCI is crucial for timely intervention and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate cortical hemodynamic responses during fine motor tasks in individuals with MCI using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).
- To identify neural correlates of motor deficits in MCI.
- To explore fNIRS as a potential tool for MCI detection.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 30 individuals with MCI and 40 healthy controls (HCs).
- Participants performed the Nine-Hole Peg Test (NHPT) while fNIRS measured oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO) and deoxygenated hemoglobin (HbR) in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), sensorimotor cortex (SMC), and visual cortex (VC).
- Stepwise discriminant analysis was used to identify predictors of MCI.
Main Results:
- Individuals with MCI demonstrated significantly poorer NHPT performance compared to HCs.
- MCI patients exhibited reduced HbO responses in the right PFC and SMC during the fine motor task.
- A combination of right SMC HbO levels and NHPT scores predicted MCI with 80.8% accuracy (AUC).
Conclusions:
- Aberrant cortical hypoactivation in motor and executive control regions is linked to fine motor impairments in MCI.
- These findings suggest disrupted motor-cognitive integration in early cognitive decline.
- fNIRS combined with motor assessments offers a promising non-invasive method for MCI detection and personalized rehabilitation strategies.
