Association Between Neuropsychological Functions and Activities of Daily Living in People with Mild Cognitive Impairment

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between performance in neurocognitive variables and daily functioning (basic or b- and instrumental or i-ADL) in people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Methods: A sample of 157 participants with MCI (73.65 ± 7.58 years) completed a battery of tests for assessing ADL and cognitive functions. t-test, Pearson's correlation and multiple linear regression (backward stepwise selection) were used for data analyses.

Results: Significant correlations were found between b- and i-ADL, and several neuropsychological tests (p < .01). Multivariate analysis showed that difficulties in Blessed Rating Scales (BLS) explained 33.2% of the variation in b-ADL and that this variation rises to 42.9% when BLS is associated with Frontal Assessment Battery Flexibility, Trail Making Test A (TMT-A) and BLS Personality. For i-ADL, BLS and Dementia Rating Scale Total (DRS-T) explained 47.7% of the variation and the inclusion in the model of BLS, DRS-IP (Initiation/Perseveration), TMT-A and BLS Personality explained 53.5% of this variation. Executive functions explained 24.8% of the variation in i-ADL.

Conclusions: Cognitive functions are related to i- and b-ADL in people with MCI. The general indicators and those that assess executive functions and verbal- or visual-spatial memory should be considered to predict i-ADL.