Masuda Teruaki, Segawa Emiko, Kimura Noriyuki, Sato Takuma, Anabuki Kenichi, Nakamura Yoshitaka, Mitsuzawa Shigenobu, Shinkawa Satoru, Aoshima Ken, Matsubara Etsuro
Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Yufu, JPN.
Human Biology Integration Foundation, Deep Human Biology Learning (DHBL), Eisai Co. Ltd Tsukuba Research Laboratories, Tsukuba, JPN.
Cureus. 2025 Apr 25;17(4):e83021. doi: 10.7759/cureus.83021. eCollection 2025 Apr.
Background Changes in mode of transportation, such as driving cessation, elevate the risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease among older adults residing in communities. However, the association between transportation-related lifestyles and cognitive function in older adults with MCI remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the relationship between mobility independence and cognitive dysfunction among older patients with MCI. Methods This was a retrospective study of community-dwelling adults aged 65 years or older from Usuki, Oita Prefecture, Japan. Data from 117 participants with MCI were analyzed. Using the Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living scale, participants were categorized into independent and dependent mobility groups based on their mode of transportation. Cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Japanese version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-J), and scores were compared across modes of transportation. Results Significant differences were found in total MoCA-J scores, visuospatial executive function, naming, and orientation, and MMSE orientation of time and place, with higher scores observed in the independent mobility group compared to the dependent group (p < 0.05). Analysis of covariance further supported these findings, showing higher scores in total MoCA-J and MMSE scores in the independent mobility group. Conclusions This study highlights the relationship between daily mode of transportation and cognitive function in patients with MCI. Participants with independent mobility exhibited superior cognitive function compared to the dependent mobility group. These findings may contribute to the development of new interventions for preventing the transition from MCI to dementia by further validation of causal relationships in longitudinal or intervention studies.
背景 交通方式的改变，如停止开车，会增加居住在社区的老年人出现轻度认知障碍（MCI）和阿尔茨海默病的风险。然而，MCI老年人与交通相关的生活方式和认知功能之间的关联仍不明确。本研究旨在探讨MCI老年患者活动能力独立性与认知功能障碍之间的关系。方法 这是一项对日本大分县臼杵市65岁及以上社区居住成年人的回顾性研究。分析了117名MCI参与者的数据。使用Lawton日常生活活动量表，根据参与者的交通方式将其分为活动能力独立组和依赖组。使用简易精神状态检查表（MMSE）和日语版蒙特利尔认知评估量表（MoCA-J）评估认知功能，并比较不同交通方式下的得分。结果 发现MoCA-J总分、视觉空间执行功能、命名和定向以及MMSE时间和地点定向方面存在显著差异，活动能力独立组的得分高于依赖组（p < 0.05）。协方差分析进一步支持了这些发现，表明活动能力独立组的MoCA-J总分和MMSE得分更高。结论 本研究突出了MCI患者日常交通方式与认知功能之间的关系。活动能力独立的参与者比活动能力依赖组表现出更好的认知功能。这些发现可能有助于通过在纵向或干预研究中进一步验证因果关系来开发预防MCI向痴呆症转变的新干预措施。
