Association between motor task acquisition and hippocampal atrophy across cognitively unimpaired, amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Alzheimer’s disease individuals

Abstract

Hippocampal atrophy is a widely used biomarker for Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the cost, time, and contraindications associated with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) limit its use. Recent work has shown that a low-cost upper extremity motor task has potential in identifying AD risk. Fifty-four older adults (15 cognitively unimpaired, 24 amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment, and 15 AD) completed six motor task trials and a structural MRI. Motor task acquisition significantly predicted bilateral hippocampal volume, controlling for age, sex, education, and memory. Thus, this motor task may be an affordable, non-invasive screen for AD risk and progression.

Using whole-brain diffusion tensor analysis to evaluate white matter structural correlates of delayed visuospatial memory and one-week motor skill retention in nondemented older adults: A preliminary study

“…Research has shown that accelerated decline in visuospatial function may be an early biomarker of prodromal AD [ 78 – 80 ]. Given that ATR degeneration is associated with AD progression [ 81 , 82 ] and that the complex figure copy/recall tests may predict AD onset (up to 20 years before clinical AD) [ 83 ], results from this study suggest that an assessment of motor learning could help better identify disease progression in asymptomatic stages [ 84 , 85 ]. A future study that extends our preliminary work is needed to determine the feasibility and efficacy of clinical visuospatial testing to predict motor rehabilitation outcomes.…”