Assessment of finger movement characteristics in dementia patients using a magnetic sensing finger-tap device

Sugioka J, Suzumura S, Kawahara Y, Osawa A, Maeda N, Ito M, Nagahama T, Kuno K, Shiramoto K, Kizuka S, Mizuguchi T, Sano Y, Kandori A, Kondo I. Assessment of finger movement characteristics in dementia patients using a magnetic sensing finger-tap device. Jpn J Compr Rehabil Sci 2020; 11: 91-97.Objective: Differences in finger movement characteristics during finger-tapping movements among Alzheimer's Disease (AD) patients, Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) patients, and healthy elderly individuals were examined using a magnetic sensing finger-tap device (UB-2; Maxell, Tokyo), and relationships with cognitive function were investigated.Methods: Finger-tapping movements were measured and multiple comparisons using mean values of parameters from each group were conducted. Cognitive function was evaluated using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and Spearman rank-correlation coefficients were used to analyze relationships between these parameters and MMSE scores.Results: Significant differences were observed in total traveling distance, standard deviation (SD) of contact duration, SD of inter-tapping interval, and SD of phase difference between left- and right-hand tapping. MMSE score showed a weak negative correlation with the SD of contact duration of the left hand (r = -0.28, p < 0.05). Weak positive correlations were observed in total traveling distance of the left hand (r = 0.3, p < 0.05) and right hand (r = 0.25, p < 0.05) and the inphase task for the right hand (r = 0.28, p < 0.05).Conclusion: These parameters may represent finger movements that are characteristic of AD and MCI.