Mild cognitive impairment affects motor control and skill learning

AbstractMild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a transitional phase between normal cognitive aging and dementia. As the world population is aging rapidly, more MCI patients will be identified, posing significant problems to society. Normal aging is associated with cognitive and motor decline, and MCI brings additional impairments. Compared to healthy older adults, MCI patients show poorer motor control in a variety of tasks. Efficient motor control and skill learning are essential for occupational and leisure purposes; degradation of motor behaviors in MCI patients often adversely affects their health and quality of life. In this article, we first define MCI and describe its pathology and neural correlates. After this, we review cognitive changes and motor control and skill learning in normal aging. This section is followed by a discussion of MCI-related degradation of motor behaviors. Finally, we propose that multicomponent interventions targeting both cognitive and motor domains can improve MCI patients’ motor functions. Future research directions are also raised.

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Mild Cognitive Impairment: An Overview

CNS Spectrums ◽

10.1017/s1092852900016151 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 45-53 ◽

Cited By ~ 337

Author(s):

Ronald C. Petersen ◽

Selamawit Negash

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽

Normal Aging ◽

Future Research ◽

Community Based ◽

Cognitive Changes ◽

Nutritional Interventions ◽

Transitional State ◽

Research Perspectives ◽

Early Dementia

ABSTRACTMild cognitive impairment (MCI) refers to the transitional state between the cognitive changes of normal aging and very early dementia. MCI has generated a great deal of research from both clinical and research perspectives. Several population- and community-based studies have documented an accelerated rate of progression to dementia and Alzheimer's disease in individuals diagnosed with MCI. Clinical subtypes of MCI have been proposed to broaden the concept and include prodromal forms of a variety of dementias. An algorithm is presented to assist the clinician in identifying subjects and subclassifying them into the various types of MCI. Progression factors, including genetic, neuroimaging, biomarker, and clinical characteristics, are discussed. Neuropathological studies indicating an intermediate state between normal aging and early dementia in subjects with MCI are presented. The recently completed clinical trials as well as neuropsychological and nutritional interventions are discussed. Finally, the clinical utility of MCI, and directions for future research are proposed.

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Working Memory and Executive Function Decline across Normal Aging, Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Alzheimer’s Disease

BioMed Research International ◽

10.1155/2015/748212 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2015 ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 137

Author(s):

Anna-Mariya Kirova ◽

Rebecca B. Bays ◽

Sarita Lagalwar

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Working Memory ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Executive Function ◽

Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽

Executive Dysfunction ◽

Normal Aging ◽

Future Research ◽

Neurological Differences

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease marked by deficits in episodic memory, working memory (WM), and executive function. Examples of executive dysfunction in AD include poor selective and divided attention, failed inhibition of interfering stimuli, and poor manipulation skills. Although episodic deficits during disease progression have been widely studied and are the benchmark of a probable AD diagnosis, more recent research has investigated WM and executive function decline during mild cognitive impairment (MCI), also referred to as the preclinical stage of AD. MCI is a critical period during which cognitive restructuring and neuroplasticity such as compensation still occur; therefore, cognitive therapies could have a beneficial effect on decreasing the likelihood of AD progression during MCI. Monitoring performance on working memory and executive function tasks to track cognitive function may signal progression from normal cognition to MCI to AD. The present review tracks WM decline through normal aging, MCI, and AD to highlight the behavioral and neurological differences that distinguish these three stages in an effort to guide future research on MCI diagnosis, cognitive therapy, and AD prevention.

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Use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Identify Mild Cognitive Impairment: Who Should Be Imaged?

CNS Spectrums ◽

10.1017/s1092852900026997 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 13 (S16) ◽

pp. 18-20 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Liana G. Apostolova

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽

Cognitive Decline ◽

Clinical Care ◽

Neuropsychological Testing ◽

The Elderly ◽

Cognitive Change ◽

Normal Aging ◽

Cognitive Changes ◽

New Information

Problems with memory are a very common complaint in the elderly and are not synonymous with dementia. Some degree of cognitive decline, manifested as greater difficulty in learning and retrieving new information for instance, develops with normal aging. Thus many older patients do not perform at the same level they did when they were younger but they do perform well when compared to their peers. For many, cognitive change ends at this stage and they proceed to lead normal, healthy, dementia-free lives.The cohort that has cognitive changes beyond what is expected in normal aging but does not yet meet criteria for dementia concerns clinicians greatly as many of these patients eventually become demented. These patients usually go through a latent stage in which neurodegenerative pathology silently spreads in the brain. Once there is enough pathological burden, cognitive decline beyond what is expected for normal aging can be detected by formal neuropsychological testing. Frequently such patients go through a state called mild cognitive impairment (MCI). In this state patients are still functionally intact and live independently, but show cognitive impairment relative to the age- and education-adjusted norms.The MCI state in itself is a prominent risk factor for developing dementia. Most patients with amnestic MCI develop Alzheimer’s disease (AD) dementia over time. At six years, as many as 80% progress to AD. Thus, MCI is a very important topic of research and an increasingly important topic of clinical care.

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Differentiating Mild Cognitive Impairment and Cognitive Changes of Normal Aging

Handbook on the Neuropsychology of Aging and Dementia - Clinical Handbooks in Neuropsychology ◽

10.1007/978-3-319-93497-6_28 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 445-463 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Caterina B. Mosti ◽

Lauren A. Rog ◽

Joseph W. Fink

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽

Normal Aging ◽

Cognitive Changes

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Auditory Event-related Potentials in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer’s Disease

Current Alzheimer Research ◽

10.2174/1567205015666180123123209 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 15 (8) ◽

pp. 702-715 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Cassandra Morrison ◽

Sheida Rabipour ◽

Frank Knoefel ◽

Christine Sheppard ◽

Vanessa Taler

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽

Cognitive Aging ◽

Event Related Potentials ◽

Cognitive Changes ◽

Auditory Event ◽

Related Potentials ◽

Auditory Event Related Potentials

Background: Mild cognitive deficits are more likely to occur with increasing age, and become more pronounced for people diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Conventional methods to identify cognitive declines (i.e., neuropsychological testing and clinical judgment) can lead to false positive diagnoses of cognitive impairment. Tools such as electroencephalography (EEG) offer additional measures of cognitive processing, indexing the electrophysiological changes associated with aging, MCI and AD. Objective: We reviewed the literature on EEG to determine if auditory event-related potentials (ERPs) could distinguish between healthy aging, MCI, and AD. Method: We searched two electronic databases (Medline and PyscInfo) for articles published between January 2005 and April 2017. Articles were considered for review if they included: i) participants 60 years of age or older; ii) healthy older adults or those diagnosed with MCI or AD; iii) at least one auditory elicited ERP component. Results: Our search revealed 1532 articles (800 after removing duplicates); 719 were excluded through title/abstract review, and of the 81 remaining articles, 30 satisfied inclusion criteria. All studies compared cognitive function between at least two of the three selected populations. Our findings suggest that the P300 and N200 components may distinguish between healthy cognitive aging, MCI, and AD. Conclusion: ERPs may be sensitive to progressive cognitive changes due to MCI and AD. The P300 and N200 may help identify patients who are likely to progress from MCI to AD, and could be a valuable clinical tool.

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EEG Measures of Value-Directed Strategic Processing in Older Adults With and Without Mild Cognitive Impairment

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.937 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 292-293

Author(s):

Lydia Nguyen ◽

Shraddha Shende ◽

Daniel Llano ◽

Raksha Mudar

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽

Cognitive Aging ◽

Spectral Power ◽

Group Differences ◽

Cognitive Resources ◽

Alpha Power ◽

Strategic Processing ◽

Unique Word

Abstract Value-directed strategic processing is important for daily functioning. It allows selective processing of important information and inhibition of irrelevant information. This ability is relatively preserved in normal cognitive aging, but it is unclear if mild cognitive impairment (MCI) affects strategic processing and its underlying neurophysiological mechanisms. The current study examined behavioral and EEG spectral power differences between 16 cognitively normal older adults (CNOA; mean age: 74.5 ± 4.0 years) and 16 individuals with MCI (mean age: 77.1 ± 4.3 years) linked to a value-directed strategic processing task. The task used five unique word lists where words were assigned high- or low-value based on letter case and were presented sequentially while EEG was recorded. Participants were instructed to recall as many words as possible after each list to maximize their score. Results revealed no group differences in recall of low-value words, but individuals with MCI recalled significantly fewer high-value words and total number of words relative to CNOA. Group differences were observed in theta and alpha bands for low-value words, with greater synchronized theta power for CNOA than MCI and greater desynchronized alpha power for MCI than CNOA. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that more effortful neural processing of low-value words in the MCI group, relative to the CNOA group, allowed them to match their behavioral performance to the CNOA group. Individuals with MCI appear to utilize more cognitive resources to inhibit low-value information and might show memory-related benefits if taught strategies to focus on high-value information processing.

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