Schneider Thomas Rudolf, Felbecker Ansgar, von Mitzlaff Ben, Weissofner Gregor, Meier Sarah, Eggenberger Patrick, Annaheim Simon
Department of Neurology, HOCH Health Ostschweiz, Cantonal Hospital of St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland.
Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Front Aging Neurosci. 2025 Aug 26;17:1624307. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2025.1624307. eCollection 2025.
Motor function is a sensitive indicator of cognitive aging but the unique contributions of different motor domains are unclear when assessed together.
We evaluated 98 community-dwelling older adults (median age: 74). From a neuropsychological battery, a primary Global Cognitive Composite score (GCCS) and three secondary domain scores were derived using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Motor predictors included the Nine-Hole Peg Test (NHPT), grip strength, Apraxia Screen of TULIA (AST), SPPB sub-tests (5-chair-rises time (5CRT), 4 m-walk time (4MWT), balance), and inertial measurement unit (IMU)-based gait parameters. Stepwise regression controlling for age and sex identified robust predictors of the GCCS.
The final model identified several significant, independent motor predictors of the GCCS. Poorer hand dexterity (NHPT; = -0.29, < 0.01), slower 5CRT ( = -0.28, < 0.01), and slower 4MWT ( = -0.17, = 0.03) were associated with worse cognitive performance, while greater minimum toe clearance was associated with better performance ( = 0.19, = 0.01). In contrast, grip strength, balance, usual gait speed, and measures of gait variability were not retained. The model explained 50.3% of the variance (Adjusted R) in global cognitive performance.
Hand dexterity (NHPT) and specific functional mobility tasks (5CRT, 4MWT) are robust, independent predictors of cognition in older adults. Grip strength, balance, usual gait speed, and gait variability offer limited additional value when assessed together. The NHPT and timed SPPB components are accessible, pragmatic tools for motor-cognitive research and screening.
运动功能是认知老化的一个敏感指标，但当综合评估时，不同运动领域的独特贡献尚不清楚。
我们评估了98名居住在社区的老年人（中位年龄：74岁）。从一套神经心理测试中，使用主成分分析（PCA）得出一个主要的总体认知综合得分（GCCS）和三个次要领域得分。运动预测指标包括九孔插板测试（NHPT）、握力、图利亚失用症筛查（AST）、简短体能状况量表（SPPB）子测试（5次起坐时间（5CRT）、4米步行时间（4MWT）、平衡）以及基于惯性测量单元（IMU）的步态参数。逐步回归分析控制年龄和性别后，确定了GCCS的可靠预测指标。
最终模型确定了几个GCCS的显著、独立运动预测指标。手部灵活性较差（NHPT；β = -0.29，P < 0.01）、5CRT较慢（β = -0.28，P < 0.01）以及4MWT较慢（β = -0.17，P = 0.03）与较差的认知表现相关，而更大的最小足趾间隙与较好的表现相关（β = 0.19，P = 0.01）。相比之下，握力、平衡、通常步态速度和步态变异性指标未被保留。该模型解释了总体认知表现中50.3%的方差（调整后R²）。
手部灵活性（NHPT）和特定的功能移动任务（5CRT、4MWT）是老年人认知的可靠、独立预测指标。握力、平衡、通常步态速度和步态变异性在综合评估时提供的额外价值有限。NHPT和定时SPPB组件是用于运动认知研究和筛查的便捷实用工具。
