Cognitive Correlates of Timed Up and Go Subtasks in Older People With Preserved Cognition, Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Alzheimer’s Disease

ABSTRACT Objectives To evaluate the utility of handgrip strength cut-offs for the identification of weakness and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) disability in elderly people with neurocognitive disorders. Methods Cross-sectional study of community-dwelling elderly individuals with Alzheimer’s disease (AD, n = 40) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI, n = 22); healthy individuals (n = 36) were recruited as controls. Handgrip cut-offs included European Working Group for Sarcopenic Older People (EWGSOP2), Cardiovascular Healthy Study (CHS) and the Frailty in Brazilian Older People Study from Rio de Janeiro (FIBRA RJ) cut-offs. Handgrip strength indexes were calculated by dividing handgrip strength values by cut-off values and the weakness prevalence for each cut-off value was compared among groups. Correlation analyses were employed to evaluate the relationship between Lawton Scale and handgrip strength (crude value and indexes). Results All handgrip strength indexes were lower in the AD group (p < 0.05), whereas the prevalence of weakness was significantly higher in the AD group only when the CHS cut-off was applied (AD = 47.5%, MCI and control = 18.2%, p < 0.01). Significantly positive correlations were identified between the Lawton ADL scale and handgrip indexes for all cut-offs (p < 0.05), but not between Lawton scale and crude handgrip (p = 0.75). Conclusions Only the CHS cut-off allowed proper differentiation of the weakness prevalence between groups. In addition, adjusting handgrip strength values according to cut-offs was necessary to determine the correlation between strength and disability in cognitively impaired elderly individuals.

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Performances on the Timed Up and Go Test and subtasks between fallers and non-fallers in older adults with cognitive impairment

Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria ◽

10.1590/0004-282x20180055 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 76 (6) ◽

pp. 381-386 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Juliana Hotta Ansai ◽

Larissa Pires de Andrade ◽

Theresa Helissa Nakagawa ◽

José Rubens Rebelatto

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Older Adults ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽

Prospective Study ◽

Timed Up And Go ◽

Total Performance ◽

A Prospective Study

ABSTRACT This work aimed to compare performances on the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test and its subtasks between faller and non-faller older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and mild Alzheimer’s disease (AD). A prospective study was conducted, with 38 older adults with MCI and 37 with mild AD. Participants underwent an assessment at baseline (the TUG and its subtasks using the Qualisys ProReflex system) and the monitoring of falls at the six-month follow up. After six months, 52.6% participants with MCI and 51.3% with AD fell. In accordance with specific subtasks, total performance on the TUG distinguished fallers from non-fallers with AD, fallers from non-fallers with MCI and non-fallers with MCI from non-fallers with AD. Although no other difference was found in total performances, non-fallers with MCI and fallers with AD differed on the walking forward, turn and turn-to-sit subtasks; and fallers with MCI and non-fallers with AD differed on the turn-to-sit subtask.

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Ten Years of Research on Automatic Voice and Speech Analysis of People With Alzheimer's Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review Article

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.620251 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Israel Martínez-Nicolás ◽

Thide E. Llorente ◽

Francisco Martínez-Sánchez ◽

Juan José G. Meilán

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽

Older People ◽

Diagnostic Accuracy ◽

Speech Analysis ◽

Cognitive Changes ◽

Voice And Speech

Background: The field of voice and speech analysis has become increasingly popular over the last 10 years, and articles on its use in detecting neurodegenerative diseases have proliferated. Many studies have identified characteristic speech features that can be used to draw an accurate distinction between healthy aging among older people and those with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. Speech analysis has been singled out as a cost-effective and reliable method for detecting the presence of both conditions. In this research, a systematic review was conducted to determine these features and their diagnostic accuracy.Methods: Peer-reviewed literature was located across multiple databases, involving studies that apply new procedures of automatic speech analysis to collect behavioral evidence of linguistic impairments along with their diagnostic accuracy on Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment. The risk of bias was assessed by using JBI and QUADAS-2 checklists.Results: Thirty-five papers met the inclusion criteria; of these, 11 were descriptive studies that either identified voice features or explored their cognitive correlates, and the rest were diagnostic studies. Overall, the studies were of good quality and presented solid evidence of the usefulness of this technique. The distinctive acoustic and rhythmic features found are gathered. Most studies record a diagnostic accuracy over 88% for Alzheimer's and 80% for mild cognitive impairment.Conclusion: Automatic speech analysis is a promising tool for diagnosing mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. The reported features seem to be indicators of the cognitive changes in older people. The specific features and the cognitive changes involved could be the subject of further research.

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Accuracy of mobility tests for screening the risk of falls in patients with mild cognitive impairment and alzheimer’s disease

Fisioterapia e Pesquisa ◽

10.1590/1809-2950/18006726032019 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 26 (3) ◽

pp. 258-264

Author(s):

Juliana Hotta Ansai ◽

Verena Vassimon-Barroso ◽

Ana Claudia Silva Farche ◽

Marcele Stephanie de Souza Buto ◽

Larissa Pires de Andrade ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Functional Mobility ◽

Timed Up And Go ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Risk Of Falls ◽

Falls In Older Adults

ABSTRACT Identifying gait and balance disorders in the earlier stages of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) could reduce or prevent falls in older adults. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine which mobility tests best discriminate the risk of falls in MCI and mild AD. Functional mobility was assessed by the timed up and go test (TUG) and 10-meter walk test (10MWT). A calendar of falls was produced, with follow-up via telephone calls during 6 months. For the MCI Group (n=38), time spent on the 10MWT was the best variable for discriminating fallers, with a cut-off point of 10.69 seconds associated with the highest accuracy (76.3%). In the AD Group (n=37), 10MWT cadence was the best variable for discriminating fallers, with a cut-off point of 101.39 steps per minute associated with an accuracy of 81.1%. As a conclusion, 10MWT time and cadence were the most accurate variables for screening the risk of falls in MCI and mild AD, respectively. The 10MWT is a functional, simple and easy test and it should be widely used in clinical practice.

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