Difficulties with Fine Motor Skills and Cognitive Impairment in an Elderly Population: The Progetto Veneto Anziani

Chiara Curreri; Caterina Trevisan; Pamela Carrer; Silvia Facchini; Valter Giantin; Stefania Maggi; Marianna Noale; Marina De Rui; Egle Perissinotto; Sabina Zambon; Gaetano Crepaldi; Enzo Manzato; Giuseppe Sergi

doi:10.1111/jgs.15209

Difficulties with Fine Motor Skills and Cognitive Impairment in an Elderly Population: The Progetto Veneto Anziani

J Am Geriatr Soc. 2018 Feb;66(2):350-356. doi: 10.1111/jgs.15209. Epub 2018 Jan 11.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medicine, Geriatrics Division, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
² National Research Council, Neuroscience Institute, Padova, Italy.
³ Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
⁴ Epidemiology and Public Health Unit, Department of Biostatistics, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
⁵ Department of Medicine, Clinica Medica I, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.

PMID: 29322488
DOI: 10.1111/jgs.15209

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate dysfunction in fine motor skills in a cohort of older Italian adults, identifying their prevalence and usefulness as indicators and predictors of cognitive impairment.

Design: Population-based longitudinal study with mean follow-up of 4.4 years.

Setting: Community.

Participants: Older men and women enrolled in the Progetto Veneto Anziani (Pro.V.A.) (N = 2,361); 1,243 subjects who were cognitively intact at baseline were selected for longitudinal analyses.

Measurements: Fine motor skills were assessed by measuring the time needed to successfully complete two functional tasks: putting on a shirt and a manual dexterity task. Cognitive impairment was defined as a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score less than 24.

Results: On simple correlation, baseline MMSE score was significantly associated with the manual dexterity task (correlation coefficient (r) = -0.25, P < .001) and time needed to put on a shirt (r = -0.29, P < .001). Over the study period, changes in time needed to perform the fine motor tasks were significantly associated with changes in MMSE (putting on a shirt: β = 0.083, P = .003; manual dexterity task: β = 0.098, P < .001). Logistic regression analyses confirmed that worse results on tasks were associated with cognitive impairment at baseline (odds ratio (OR) = 2.47, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.74-3.50, for the fourth quartile of time needed to put on a shirt; OR = 1.98, 95% CI = 1.42-2.76, for the fourth manual dexterity task quartile) and greater risk of cognitive impairment developing during follow-up (OR = 4.38, 95% CI = 2.46-7.80, for the fourth quartile of time needed to put on a shirt; OR = 2.20, 95% CI = 1.30-3.72, for the fourth manual dexterity task quartile).

Conclusions: Difficulties with fine motor skills are common in older adults, and assessing them may help to identify early signs of dementia, subjects at high risk to develop cognitive decline, and individuals who can be referred to specialists.

Keywords: cognitive impairment; elderly; fine motor skills.

Publication types

Observational Study
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aged
Cognitive Dysfunction / diagnosis*
Cognitive Dysfunction / epidemiology*
Cohort Studies
Female
Humans
Italy / epidemiology
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Motor Skills / physiology*
Prevalence
Time Factors