TY - JOUR
T1 - Egocentric and exocentric navigation skills in older adults
AU - Sanders, Amy E.
AU - Holtzer, Roee
AU - Lipton, Richard B.
AU - Hall, Charles
AU - Verghese, Joe
N1 - Funding Information:
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The Einstein Aging Study is supported by National Institute on Aging (NIA) program project grant AG03949. Dr. Sanders is supported by National Research Service Award Institutional Training Grant T32 AG023475-04. Dr. Verghese is supported by NIA grant R01 AG025119. Roee Holtzer is supported by NIA Paul B. Beeson grant K23 AG030857.
PY - 2008/12
Y1 - 2008/12
N2 - Background. Human spatial navigation can be conceptualized as egocentric or exocentric, depending on the navigator's perspective. Navigational impairment is known to occur in individuals with cognitive impairment, but less is known about navigational abilities in nondemented older adults. Our objective was to develop tests of navigation and study their cognitive correlates in nondemented older adults. Methods. We developed a Local Route Recall Test (LRRT) to examine egocentric navigation and a Floor Maze Test (FMT) to assess exocentric navigation in 127 older adults without dementia or amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Factor analysis was used to reduce neuropsychological test scores to three cognitive factors representing Executive Function/Attention, Verbal Ability, and Memory. We examined relationships between navigational tests and cognitive function (using both cognitive factors and the highest loading individual test on each factor) in a series of regression analyses adjusted for demographic variables (age, sex, and education), medical illnesses, and gait velocity. Results. The tests were well tolerated, easy to administer, and reliable in this nondemented and non-MCI sample. Egocentric skills on the LRRT were associated with Executive Function/Attention (B = -0.650; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.535 to -0.139) and Memory (B = -0.518; 95% CI, -4.893 to -0.063) factors. Exocentric navigation on the FMT was related to Executive Function/Attention (B =-8.542; 95% CI, -13.357 to -3.727). Conclusions. Our tests appear to assess egocentric and exocentric navigation skills in cognitively normal older adults, and these skills are associated with specific cognitive processes such as executive function and memory.
AB - Background. Human spatial navigation can be conceptualized as egocentric or exocentric, depending on the navigator's perspective. Navigational impairment is known to occur in individuals with cognitive impairment, but less is known about navigational abilities in nondemented older adults. Our objective was to develop tests of navigation and study their cognitive correlates in nondemented older adults. Methods. We developed a Local Route Recall Test (LRRT) to examine egocentric navigation and a Floor Maze Test (FMT) to assess exocentric navigation in 127 older adults without dementia or amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Factor analysis was used to reduce neuropsychological test scores to three cognitive factors representing Executive Function/Attention, Verbal Ability, and Memory. We examined relationships between navigational tests and cognitive function (using both cognitive factors and the highest loading individual test on each factor) in a series of regression analyses adjusted for demographic variables (age, sex, and education), medical illnesses, and gait velocity. Results. The tests were well tolerated, easy to administer, and reliable in this nondemented and non-MCI sample. Egocentric skills on the LRRT were associated with Executive Function/Attention (B = -0.650; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.535 to -0.139) and Memory (B = -0.518; 95% CI, -4.893 to -0.063) factors. Exocentric navigation on the FMT was related to Executive Function/Attention (B =-8.542; 95% CI, -13.357 to -3.727). Conclusions. Our tests appear to assess egocentric and exocentric navigation skills in cognitively normal older adults, and these skills are associated with specific cognitive processes such as executive function and memory.
KW - Egocentric
KW - Exocentric
KW - Navigation
KW - Normal aging
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U2 - 10.1093/gerona/63.12.1356
DO - 10.1093/gerona/63.12.1356
M3 - Article
C2 - 19126849
AN - SCOPUS:62149093216
SN - 1079-5006
VL - 63
SP - 1356
EP - 1363
JO - Journals of Gerontology - Series A Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
JF - Journals of Gerontology - Series A Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
IS - 12
ER -