Timed Up-and-Go Dual-Task Testing in the Assessment of Cognitive Function: A Mixed Methods Observational Study for Development of the UDDGait Protocol

Ylva Cedervall, Anna M. Stenberg, Hanna B. Åhman, Vilmantas Giedraitis, Fredrik Tinmark, Lars Berglund, Kjartan Halvorsen, Martin Ingelsson, Erik Rosendahl and Anna Cristina Åberg
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Ylva Cedervall: Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Geriatrics, Uppsala University, SE-75185 Uppsala, Sweden
Anna M. Stenberg: Department of Geriatrics and Rehabilitation Medicine, Falu Hospital,. SE-70182 Falun, Sweden
Hanna B. Åhman: Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Geriatrics, Uppsala University, SE-75185 Uppsala, Sweden
Vilmantas Giedraitis: Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Geriatrics, Uppsala University, SE-75185 Uppsala, Sweden
Fredrik Tinmark: The Swedish School of Sports and Health Sciences, SE-11433 Stockholm, Sweden
Lars Berglund: Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Geriatrics, Uppsala University, SE-75185 Uppsala, Sweden
Kjartan Halvorsen: Systems and Control, Department of Information Technology, Uppsala University, SE-75105 Uppsala, Sweden
Martin Ingelsson: Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Geriatrics, Uppsala University, SE-75185 Uppsala, Sweden
Erik Rosendahl: Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Physiotherapy, Umeå University, SE-90187 Umeå, Sweden
Anna Cristina Åberg: Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Geriatrics, Uppsala University, SE-75185 Uppsala, Sweden

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 5, 1-19

Abstract: New methods to screen for and identify early-stage dementia disorders are highly sought after. The purpose of this pilot study is to develop a study protocol for a dual-task test aimed at aiding the early detection of dementia disorders. We used the Timed Up-and-Go (TUG) test, which is a mobility task involving starting in a sitting position, standing up, walking three meters to cross a line on the floor, turning around, walking back and sitting down again. We combined TUG with the verbal task of naming different animals. Pilot study participants were 43 individuals with and without established dementia diagnoses who attended a clinic for memory assessment. Video-recorded test performances were systematically analysed. Deviant test performances concerning the interplay between test administration and participants’ responses to the assessment instructions were revealed and led to refinements being made to the final study protocol. Exploration of the dual-task test outcome measures in a sub-sample of 22 persons, ten with and twelve without dementia, indicated that step-length and number of named animals after the turning point of the dual-task test might constitute appropriate measures for examining this kind of sample. We concluded that the refined study protocol is feasible for testing individuals undergoing initial memory assessments and healthy controls. Follow-up studies with larger samples are being carried out and will bring new knowledge to this area of research. It may also provide an opportunity for further studies exploring possibilities for broad clinical implementation.

Keywords: screening; memory assessment; feasibility; study protocol; dementia diagnosis; cognitive impair (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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