Association Between Motor Task Performance and Hippocampal Atrophy Across Cognitively Unimpaired, Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Alzheimer's Disease Individuals

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. Several measures of motor task performance 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.

Automated summary

Hippocampal atrophy is a common biomarker for Alzheimer's disease, but its use is limited by the cost and contraindications of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Recent research has found that a low-cost upper extremity motor task has the potential to identify Alzheimer's disease risk. The study shows that measures of motor task performance can predict hippocampal volume, offering a cost-effective and non-invasive screening method for Alzheimer's disease risk and progression.