Stepping and tapping: combining motor tasks improves cognitive classification

作者：Kaylee Rudd, Michele L. Callisaya, Katherine Lawler, Alastair J. Noyce, James C. Vickers, Jane Alty · 发表于：GeroScience · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1007/s11357-025-01678-7 · 被引用次数：4 · 研究领域：Hemispheric Asymmetry in Neuroscience、Action Observation and Synchronization、Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments

Gait and key-tapping are individually associated with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia. However, it is unclear if these motor functions are correlated, or whether combining them improves classification of objective (dementia, MCI) and subjective cognitive impairment (SCI). We recruited 73 participants with dementia, 106 MCI, 57 SCI, and 83 cognitively healthy controls (HC). Consensus diagnosis was made after gold-standard interdisciplinary assessment. Fast-paced gait was assessed on an electronic walkway and fast-paced key-tapping on a computer keyboard. Correlations between gait and key-tapping measures (speed, frequency, variability and contact) were tested using Pearson's correlation. Classification accuracy was calculated using area under receiver-operating-characteristic curves (AUC) and compared to the null model comprising age, sex and education. Gait and key-tapping measures correlated moderately. Combined gait and key-tapping speed improved classification accuracy of dementia (.97), and MCI (.91), from HC, but not SCI, compared to gait (dementia: .94, MCI: .87) or the null model (dementia: .89, MCI: .79). Gait and key-tapping measures were associated with Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia, but the effect size for key-tapping variability was larger in vascular dementia (β: 225.71) compared to Alzheimer's disease (β: 38.30). Gait and key-tapping variability was associated with non-amnestic MCI. Measures of gait were correlated with corresponding key...