Thesis
Social interaction as a functional marker of cognitive decline in older adults
Master of Science (M.S.), Drexel University
25 May 2021
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00000798
Abstract
Approximately 15% to 20% of individuals over the age of 60 are diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) worldwide and this number continues to grow (Petersen, 2016). Recent investigations have focused on the early detection of MCI, as a better understanding of this stage may be useful for predicting the development of dementia. To date, most studies focus on early detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD); however, findings from this research are primarily relevant to those with AD biological markers. As a result, individuals who do not have evidence of biomarkers, lack resources or access to biological marker analyses, or who have clinical features related to other dementia etiologies are not being supported by this research. Thus, investigations involving functional markers of cognitive decline that can be universally relevant regardless of the underlying etiology is warranted. Cognitive and functional abilities are key components for making a diagnosis of cognitive impairment, including MCI and dementia; yet, evidence suggests that the current measurements tools used to quantify these abilities may not approximate real-world functioning. Furthermore, these tools may not be sensitive to early signs of cognitive decline. To address this gap, naturalistic assessments have been investigated, however, only a few studies have evaluated their utility in assessing early or subtle signs of cognitive decline amongst older adults. The primary aim of the proposed study is to create an innovative task to detect subtle cognitive and functional deficits that may characterize early signs of MCI. Specifically, the current study will examine the utility of a naturalistic social interaction task for objective assessment of functional deficits and examine the relationship between task performance and cognition in older adults. The results of this study will represent the first investigation of a social interaction task for subtle cognitive and functional deficits in older adults.
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Details
- Title
- Social interaction as a functional marker of cognitive decline in older adults
- Creators
- Molly Split
- Contributors
- Maria Teresa Schultheis (Advisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Master of Science (M.S.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Number of pages
- ix, 80 pages
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Psychological and Brain Sciences (Psychology); College of Arts and Sciences; Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 991015241381504721