Does Cognitive Impairment Impact Motor Learning? A Scoping Review of Elderly Individuals With Alzheimer’s Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment

Abstract

Individuals with cognitive impairment may have motor learning deficits due to the high engagement of cognitive mechanisms during motor skill acquisition. We conducted a scoping review to address the quality of current research on the relationship between cognitive impairments (i.e., deficits in attention, memory, planning and executive functions) and motor learning among older adults with Alzheimer’s Disease or Mild Cognitive Impairment. After screening thousands of articles, we selected 15 studies describing cognitive assessment tools, experimental designs, and the severity of cognitive impairment. Although seven studies reported that cognitive impairment impaired motor learning, most studies included a high risk of bias. We identified multiple assessment tools across these studies that make comparisons among findings difficult. Future research in this area should focus on the influence of increased practice days during motor learning acquisition and incorporate both retention and transfer tests. Cognitive assessments should target the specific cognitive skills or deficits most closely related to the motor learning process.