Name: traditional trail making test modified into brand-new assessment tools: digital and walking trail making test
Uploaded: 2019-11-23T14:30:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Traditional Trail Making Test Modified into Brand-new Assessment Tools: Digital and Walking Trail Making Test at JoVE.com

The authors thank Xiaode Chen for digital technology support.

The development of the dTMT and initial application was approved by The Seventh Medical Center of PLA Army General Hospital Review Board. Subjects signed approved informed consent documents prior to testing TMT.
1. General Method Development
<ol>
	<li>Use a tablet (e.g., Microsoft Surface Pro 2) with high-quality inertial sensors embedded within the device and a compatible electronic pen (Figure 1).</li>
	<li>Use the Intelligent Device for Energy Expenditure and...

<ol>
	<li>Wei, M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Diagnostic+accuracy+of+the+Chinese+version+of+the+Trail-Making+Test+for+screening+cognitive+impairment.">Diagnostic accuracy of the Chinese version of the Trail-Making Test for screening cognitive impairment.</a> Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 66 (1), 92-99 (2018).</li><li>Schroeter, M. L., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Executive+deficits+are+related+to+the+inferior+frontal+junction+in+early+dementia.">Executive deficits are related to the inferior frontal junction in early dementia.</a> Brain. 135 (1), 201-215 (2012).</li><li>Rabin, L. A., Burton, L. A., Barr, W. 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A., Choi, H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Driving+Trail+Making+Test+part+B:+a+variant+of+the+TMT-B.">Driving Trail Making Test part B: a variant of the TMT-B.</a> Journal of Physical Therapy Science. 28 (1), 148-153 (2016).</li><li>Bastug, G., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Oral+trail+making+task+as+a+discriminative+tool+for+different+levels+of+cognitive+impairment+and+normal+aging.">Oral trail making task as a discriminative tool for different levels of cognitive impairment and normal aging.</a> Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology. 28 (5), 411-417 (2013).</li><li>Perrochon, A., Kemoun, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+Walking+Trail-Making+Test+is+an+early+detection+tool+for+mild+cognitive+impairment.">The Walking Trail-Making Test is an early detection tool for mild cognitive impairment.</a> Clinical Interventions in Aging. 9, 111-119 (2014).</li><li>McIntyre, R. S., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+THINC-Integrated+Tool+(THINC-it)+screening+assessment+for+cognitive+dysfunction:+validation+in+patients+with+major+depressive+disorder.">The THINC-Integrated Tool (THINC-it) screening assessment for cognitive dysfunction: validation in patients with major depressive disorder.</a> The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 78 (7), 873-881 (2017).</li><li>Schott, N. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Trail+Walking+Test+zur+Erfassung+der+motorisch-kognitiven+Interferenz+bei+&#228;lteren+Erwachsenen.">Trail Walking Test zur Erfassung der motorisch-kognitiven Interferenz bei &#228;lteren Erwachsenen.</a> Zeitschrift f&#252;r Gerontologie und Geriatrie. 48 (8), 722-733 (2015).</li><li>Thompson, M. D., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Clinical+utility+of+the+Trail+Making+Test+practice+time.">Clinical utility of the Trail Making Test practice time.</a> The Clinical Neuropsychologist. 13 (4), 450-455 (1999).</li><li>Mahurin, R. K., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Trail+making+test+errors+and+executive+function+in+schizophrenia+and+depression.">Trail making test errors and executive function in schizophrenia and depression.</a> The Clinical Neuropsychologist. 20 (2), 271-288 (2006).</li><li>Klaming, L., Vlaskamp, B. N. 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C., Jones, J. L., Ashton-Miller, J. A., Alexander, N. B., Giordani, B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Executive+function+and+gait+in+older+adults+with+cognitive+impairment.">Executive function and gait in older adults with cognitive impairment.</a> The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences. 63 (12), 1350-1355 (2008).</li><li>Zhang, K., Werner, P., Sun, M., Pi-Sunyer, F. X., Boozer, C. N. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Measurement+of+human+daily+physical+activity.">Measurement of human daily physical activity.</a> Obesity Research. 11 (1), 33-40 (2003).</li><li>Zhang, K., Pi-Sunyer, F. X., Boozer, C. 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Traditional paper-pencil TMT has been well used worldwide for more than 50 years. However, digital TMT is advantageous. First, traditional TMT is considered as an executive function tool, while both dTMT and WTMT have aspects reflecting motor ability besides cognitive function. Considering that the cognitive-motor dual task has gained great attention in recent years26, digital technologies can provide researchers with more information on this integrated task compared with the traditional TMT<sup c...

With a rapidly aging population, dementia is considered to be a major public health concern. The number of elderly patients with dementia worldwide is about 47 million according to the World Health Organization1. Executive function impairment is not only a common type of cognitive dysfunction in aged individuals, but has been reported as a predictor of progression from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to clinical Alzheimer&#8217;s disease (AD)2,3. As the third most widely used test in neuropsychology4, the Trail Making Test (TMT) is employed as a well-accepted tool to evaluate executive functions, especially sustained attention and set-shifting5, even in elderly patients6.
The standard TMT is a paper-pencil test consisting of two parts: tMT-A and TMT-B5. The former calls for the test-taker to draw lines connecting randomly distributed numbers (1&#8211;25) on a test paper in ascending order (1-&#62;2-&#62;3&#8230;), whereas the latter requires the test-taker to set numbers and letters (1-&#62;A-&#62;2-&#62;B&#8230;) alternatively. The performance of TMT is generally scored in the time taken to complete each part correctly7. TMT has been translated into different languages. The Chinese version of TMT was developed in 20068. Since Chinese characters are quite distinct from English letters, the Chinese version of TMT was used in our procedure.
Apart from the standard version, TMT has been modified in different ways by researchers (e.g., oral TMT9, driving TMT10, walking TMT (WTMT)11) to assess specific populations or find details under different conditions, such as driving and walking. Of note, some studies conferring different numbers compared with the standard TMT are also reported to be of high validity and reliability. For example, THINC-Integrated Tool (THINC-it) developed by the McIntyre group used 9 numbers and letters for TMT-B12; WTMT reported by Schott and colleagues used 15 numbers for TMT-A13. In the same way, many evaluating systems of TMT have been built beyond the complete time scoring, which are reported to be helpful in finding more items besides executive dysfunction, or to be accessible for participants who are not suitable to complete the standard TMT. For example, some researchers investigated the errors in TMT and found that errors in TMT-B were associated with mental tracking and working memory in patients with psychiatric disorder14. Another group from Greece suggested derived TMT scores [TMT-(B&#8722;A) or TMT(B/A)] as indices to detect impairment in cognitive flexibility across the adult life span15. Generally, alternative evaluating systems of TMT can be summarized as follows: (1) completion time analysis&#8212;TMT completion time is calculated in seconds16; (2) error analysis&#8212;different types of TMT errors are classified and quantified14; (3) intermanual differences&#8212;different abilities of completing TMT between the dominant hand and the nondominant hand are compared17; and (4) derived Trail Making Test indices&#8212;different characterizations between completing TMT-A and TMT-B are analyzed15. The alternative scoring methods provide additional information. For example, the utility of TMT error analysis could reveal cognitive deficits not traditionally captured using completion time as the sole outcome variable in patients with schizophrenia and depression14. The lack of any significant intermanual difference helped to discriminate the cognitive dysfunction from the influence of the motor disorder17. Derived TMT indices could detect impairment in cognitive flexibility across the adult life span and minimize the effect of demographics and other cognitive background variables15.
With advances in modern technology, computer-based digital applications have been increasingly integrated into traditional cognitive interventions, most of which are designed as similar to the original test as possible, rather than created as new tools. Digital or computerized TMT (dTMT) has been proven to have the potential to capture additional information, with the structure of the existing test mainly unchanged in recent years18,19.
This study aimed to introduce a computer-based Chinese version of dTMT-A and dTMT-B, as well as a WTMT. Both are modified TMTs and have been confirmed to have high sensitivity and specificity to screen patients with MCI, Parkinson&#8217;s Disease, Alzheimer&#8217;s Disease, and so forth, based on the movement of upper and lower limbs20,21. Detailed scoring methods were also presented because digital technologies incorporated into dTMT and WTMT might help capture more information compared to the paper-pencil version of TMT.

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			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:215px;">Minisun</td>
			<td style="width:69px;">LLC</td>
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			<td style="width:415px;">Intelligent Device for Energy Expenditure and Activity (IDEEA)</td>
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			<td style="width:69px;">Microsoft</td>
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traditional trail making test modified into brand-new assessment tools: digital and walking trail making test

The Trail Making Test (TMT) is a well-accepted tool for evaluating executive function. The standard TMT was invented more than 60 years ago and has been modified into many versions. With the development of digital technologies, TMT is now modified to a digitized version. The present study demonstrated digital TMT (dTMT) performed on a computer, and Walking TMT (WTMT) on the floor. Both revealed more information compared with the traditional version of TMT.

Seven aged patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment (Elderly with MCI), seven aged subjects with Parkinson&#8217;s Disease (Elderly with PD), and seven aged healthy individuals (Healthy Elderly) were recruited, and dTMT-A, dTMT-B, WTMT-A, and WTMT-B, were performed. After the tests, data were collected and analyzed using SPSS software.
As a whole, the demographical data of participants showed that all groups were matched well in terms of age, gender, educational level, dominant hand, Clinical D...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Traditional Trail Making Test Modified into Brand-new Assessment Tools: Digital and Walking Trail Making Test at JoVE.com

Traditional Trail Making Test Modified into Brand-new Assessment Tools: Digital and Walking Trail Making Test

Here, we present a protocol to show how to perform two types of cognitive assessment tools derived from the paper-pencil version of the Trail Making Test.

The Trail Making Test (TMT) is a well-accepted tool for evaluating executive function. The standard TMT was invented more than 60 years ago and has been ...

Traditional trail making test are used for executive function to assess. While opposed, the digital Walking Trail Making Test assess the motor ability in addition to cognitive function. Considering that cognitive motor test has gained immense attention recently, the main advantage of this integrated test paradigm is that it provides more information than conventional assessments.Both the new and modified trail making tests can be used for clinical patients with cognitive and movement disorders. For those patients with upper limb disability, the Walking Trail Making Test is particularly useful. As both of the tests collect information in real time and the subjects needs complete the test quickly, take care to explain the test processes in detail before each trial.Visual demonstration can be helpful in minimizing misunderstandings, destractions, or other types of delays during the test, all of which can confound the data. To carry out a digital trail making test A procedure, seat each participant in front of a desk in a quiet and comfortable environment and adjust the computer position, background light, and electronic pen. Check the near-visual acuity of the participant to ensure that they can easily read the numbers on the screen, and show the instructions to the participant, indicating that they will need to use the pen to draw a line as rapidly as possible to join consecutive numbers in the circles randomly distributed on the screen.When the participant is ready, initiate a 150-second maximum pre-test trial demonstrating that if the circles have been correctly joined, the color of the first circle will change. If the circles are not correctly joined, the color will remain unchanged, and the participant will need to restart the task from the last circle. Encourage the participant to draw the line as fluently and accurately as possible while avoiding errors and time wastage.At the end of the pre-trial have the participant select part A to complete the Digital Trail Making Test A without interruption. When the Digital Trail Making Test A has been completed, carry out a Digital Trail Making Test B in similar manner. First showing the digital trail making test B guidelines to the participant that instruct the participant to draw a line as rapidly as possible to alternatively join the numbers and Chinese characters within the circles randomly distributed on the screen.To perform the Walking Trail Making Test A, in a quiet and comfortable environment with a full room light, randomly distribute coins with numbers at each of 15 positions in a 16-meter squared area. Connect the intelligent device for energy expenditure and activity to a computer and enter the anthropometric data for the participant. When the data has been entered, bring the participant into the room and use medical tape to attach one biaxial mini accelerometer over the sternum, one to the front side of each thigh, and one under each foot.Use thin, flexible cables to attach all of the accelerometers to a microprocessor storage unit. And use a clip to attach the unit to the participant's clothes. When the participant is ready, ask them to walk up and down a walkway without any targets at a comfortable pace.After the warm-up, show the participant the Walking Trail Making Test A instructions, which ask the participant to walk on numbered targets in a sequential order as rapidly but accurately as possible, joining consecutive numbers on the coins randomly distributed on the floor. Take care to ensure the safety of the participants as dual-task walking in a challenging environment may increase the risk of falling. For Walking Trail Making Test B, after disturbing the coins as just demonstrated, show the Walking Trail Making Test B instructions to the participant.And have the participant walk on the numbered targets in sequential order as rapidly as possible to alternatively join the numbers and Chinese characters on the coins randomly distributed on the floor. In this representative analysis, most of the Digital Trail Making Test A data between healthy elderly, elderly with mild cognitive impairment, and elderly with Parkinson's disease were similar. However, elderly with Parkinson's disease exhibited a larger total pathway deviation of each step, a larger variability of pathway deviation, and a lower velocity of drawing.In completing Digital Trail Making Test B, aged patients with mild cognitive impairment needed a longer time of completion with more errors, more time inside the circle and the tolerance circle, more pathway deviation, and a lower drawing velocity compared to healthy elderly individuals. Elderly with Parkison's disease also needed a longer time of completion, had more errors, more time inside the circle, less time inside the tolerance circle, more pathway deviation, a larger variability of pathway deviation, and a lower drawing velocity for each step compared to aged healthy individuals. Gate data in the Walking Trail Making Test A revealed differences in the elderly with Parkison's disease group in terms of speed, step length, and stride length.The gate data in the Walking Trail Making Test B revealed that aged patients with mild cognitive impairment and Parkinson's disease needed a longer time and more steps to complete the test with a shorter step and stride length relative to aged healthy participants. In addition, aged patients with Parkinson's disease showed an even more severe trend compared to mild cognitive impairment subjects with marked differences in step length, stride length, and step length gait variability. The most important thing to remember is to show the instructions to the participants before the test to prevent any misunderstandings or delays that might occur during the test.Following this procedure, the left-handed Digital Trail Making Test can be performed to assess intermanual differences or movement assessments can be performed to evaluate the pure walking ability of participants. This technique has paved the way for the study of cognitive and motor functions here in an incorporated manner suitable for patients with motor cognitive risk syndrome.

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Design, Fabrication, and Administration of the Hand Active Sensation Test HASTe

The concept of personalizing neurologic rehabilitation, based on individual impairments, has experienced a recent surge. In parallel, the number of ...

Ultrasound Assessment of Endothelial Function: A Technical Guideline of the Flow-mediated Dilation Test

Cardiovascular disease is the primary cause of mortality and a major cause of disability worldwide. The dysfunction of the vascular endothelium is a ...

Study of In Vivo Glucose Metabolism in High-fat Diet-fed Mice Using Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) and Insulin Tolerance Test (ITT)

Study of In Vivo Glucose Metabolism in High-fat Diet-fed Mice Using Oral Glucose Tolerance Test OGTT and Insulin Tolerance Test ITT

Obesity represents the most important single risk factor in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes, a disease which is characterized by a resistance to ...