Short Digital Spatial Memory Test Detects Impairment in Alzheimer’s Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment
Background: Impairment in navigation abilities and object location memory are often seen in early-stage Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), yet these constructs are not included in standard neuropsychological assessment. We investigated the differential ability of a short digital spatial memory test in mild A...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-10-01
|
| Series: | Brain Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/10/1350 |
| _version_ | 1797515163342995456 |
|---|---|
| author | Jackie M. Poos Ineke J. M. van der Ham Anna E. Leeuwis Yolande A. L. Pijnenburg Wiesje M. van der Flier Albert Postma |
| author_facet | Jackie M. Poos Ineke J. M. van der Ham Anna E. Leeuwis Yolande A. L. Pijnenburg Wiesje M. van der Flier Albert Postma |
| author_sort | Jackie M. Poos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Impairment in navigation abilities and object location memory are often seen in early-stage Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), yet these constructs are not included in standard neuropsychological assessment. We investigated the differential ability of a short digital spatial memory test in mild AD dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods: 21 patients with AD dementia (66.9 ± 6.9; 47% female), 22 patients with MCI (69.6 ± 8.3; 46% female) and 21 patients with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) (62.2 ± 8.9; 48% female) from the Amsterdam Dementia Cohort performed the Object Location Memory Test (OLMT), consisting of a visual perception and memory trial, and the Virtual Tübingen (VT) test, consisting of a scene recognition, route continuation, route ordering and distance comparison task. The correlations with other cognitive domains were examined. Results: Patients with mild AD dementia (Z: −2.51 ± 1.15) and MCI (Z: −1.81 ± 0.92) performed worse than participants with SCD (Z: 0.0 ± 1.0) on the OLMT. Scene recognition and route continuation were equally impaired in patients with AD dementia (Z: −1.14 ± 0.73; Z: −1.44 ± 1.13) and MCI (Z: −1.37 ± 1.25; Z: −1.21 ± 1.07). Route ordering was only impaired in patients with MCI (Z: −0.82 ± 0.78). Weak to moderate correlations were found between route continuation and memory (r(64) = 0.40, <i>p</i> < 0.01), and between route ordering and attention (r(64) = 0.33, <i>p</i> < 0.01), but not for the OLMT. Conclusion: A short digital spatial memory test battery was able to detect object location memory and navigation impairment in patients with mild AD dementia and MCI, highlighting the value of incorporating such a test battery in standard neuropsychological assessment. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:41:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9690762d2e6f4685b69993fb8194c1e0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3425 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:41:38Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Brain Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-9690762d2e6f4685b69993fb8194c1e02023-11-22T17:37:50ZengMDPI AGBrain Sciences2076-34252021-10-011110135010.3390/brainsci11101350Short Digital Spatial Memory Test Detects Impairment in Alzheimer’s Disease and Mild Cognitive ImpairmentJackie M. Poos0Ineke J. M. van der Ham1Anna E. Leeuwis2Yolande A. L. Pijnenburg3Wiesje M. van der Flier4Albert Postma5Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The NetherlandsInstitute of Psychology, Health, Medical and Neuropsychology, Leiden University, 2300 RB Leiden, The NetherlandsAlzheimer Center Amsterdam, Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The NetherlandsAlzheimer Center Amsterdam, Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The NetherlandsAlzheimer Center Amsterdam, Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The NetherlandsHelmholtz Institute, Experimental Psychology, Utrecht University, 3584 CS Utrecht, The NetherlandsBackground: Impairment in navigation abilities and object location memory are often seen in early-stage Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), yet these constructs are not included in standard neuropsychological assessment. We investigated the differential ability of a short digital spatial memory test in mild AD dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods: 21 patients with AD dementia (66.9 ± 6.9; 47% female), 22 patients with MCI (69.6 ± 8.3; 46% female) and 21 patients with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) (62.2 ± 8.9; 48% female) from the Amsterdam Dementia Cohort performed the Object Location Memory Test (OLMT), consisting of a visual perception and memory trial, and the Virtual Tübingen (VT) test, consisting of a scene recognition, route continuation, route ordering and distance comparison task. The correlations with other cognitive domains were examined. Results: Patients with mild AD dementia (Z: −2.51 ± 1.15) and MCI (Z: −1.81 ± 0.92) performed worse than participants with SCD (Z: 0.0 ± 1.0) on the OLMT. Scene recognition and route continuation were equally impaired in patients with AD dementia (Z: −1.14 ± 0.73; Z: −1.44 ± 1.13) and MCI (Z: −1.37 ± 1.25; Z: −1.21 ± 1.07). Route ordering was only impaired in patients with MCI (Z: −0.82 ± 0.78). Weak to moderate correlations were found between route continuation and memory (r(64) = 0.40, <i>p</i> < 0.01), and between route ordering and attention (r(64) = 0.33, <i>p</i> < 0.01), but not for the OLMT. Conclusion: A short digital spatial memory test battery was able to detect object location memory and navigation impairment in patients with mild AD dementia and MCI, highlighting the value of incorporating such a test battery in standard neuropsychological assessment.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/10/1350cognitive dysfunctionmemory disordersspatial navigationneuropsychologyearly diagnosisdementia |
| spellingShingle | Jackie M. Poos Ineke J. M. van der Ham Anna E. Leeuwis Yolande A. L. Pijnenburg Wiesje M. van der Flier Albert Postma Short Digital Spatial Memory Test Detects Impairment in Alzheimer’s Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment Brain Sciences cognitive dysfunction memory disorders spatial navigation neuropsychology early diagnosis dementia |
| title | Short Digital Spatial Memory Test Detects Impairment in Alzheimer’s Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment |
| title_full | Short Digital Spatial Memory Test Detects Impairment in Alzheimer’s Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment |
| title_fullStr | Short Digital Spatial Memory Test Detects Impairment in Alzheimer’s Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Short Digital Spatial Memory Test Detects Impairment in Alzheimer’s Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment |
| title_short | Short Digital Spatial Memory Test Detects Impairment in Alzheimer’s Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment |
| title_sort | short digital spatial memory test detects impairment in alzheimer s disease and mild cognitive impairment |
| topic | cognitive dysfunction memory disorders spatial navigation neuropsychology early diagnosis dementia |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/10/1350 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jackiempoos shortdigitalspatialmemorytestdetectsimpairmentinalzheimersdiseaseandmildcognitiveimpairment AT inekejmvanderham shortdigitalspatialmemorytestdetectsimpairmentinalzheimersdiseaseandmildcognitiveimpairment AT annaeleeuwis shortdigitalspatialmemorytestdetectsimpairmentinalzheimersdiseaseandmildcognitiveimpairment AT yolandealpijnenburg shortdigitalspatialmemorytestdetectsimpairmentinalzheimersdiseaseandmildcognitiveimpairment AT wiesjemvanderflier shortdigitalspatialmemorytestdetectsimpairmentinalzheimersdiseaseandmildcognitiveimpairment AT albertpostma shortdigitalspatialmemorytestdetectsimpairmentinalzheimersdiseaseandmildcognitiveimpairment |