Table 1.
Prevalence of SNAs and Their Bivariate Associations With Physical Performance (SPPB Score) and Cognitive Function (MMSE) in 506 Older Community-Dwelling Persons
| Items of the Neurological Evaluation | Prevalence, % | P Valuea | |
|---|---|---|---|
| SPPB | MMSE | ||
| Muscle strength–physical examination | |||
| Reduced shoulder elevation, detectable difference between the 2 sides while participant is shrugging against resistance | 0.4 | .02 | .21 |
| Reduced or absent foot extension, detectable difference between the 2 sides while participant is pushing against resistance (each foot is tested separately) | 3.0 | <.001 | .11 |
| Pronator drift or shift of 1 arm while both are extended frontally | 0.6 | .01 | .42 |
| Shift of 1 leg while both hips and knees are flexed at 90° in the supine position | 0.0 | NA | NA |
| Muscle strength–dynamometry (difference of >20% between the 2 sides) | |||
| Handgrip | 4.9 | .11 | .16 |
| Hip flexion | 11.3 | .66 | .49 |
| Sensitivity–physical examination, reduced foot plant sensitivity (light touch) in at least 2 of 3 tests | 4.3 | <.001 | .95 |
| Deep tendon reflexes, absent or diminished (present but slightly detectable) muscle contraction in response to tendon stimulation with a reflex hammer using standard techniques | |||
| Absent or reduced patellar reflexes | 3.0 | .03 | .64 |
| Absent or reduced Achilles reflexes | 29.9 | .002 | .01 |
| Plantar (Babinski) reflex, extension of the big toe or fanning of the other toes or contraction of the fascia lata while rubbing the lateral margin of the sole from heel to toe | 3.6 | .09 | .83 |
| Extrapyramidal signs | |||
| Bradykinesia, slowness, reduction in amplitude or arrest during thumb-finger tapping, hand movements (opening-closing, pronosupination), heel tapping, or arising from a chair | 0.2 | .14 | .01 |
| Resting tremor while the participant is relaxed, with both hands resting in the lap | 3.6 | .02 | .01 |
| Muscle rigidity, steady resistance throughout the entire range of movement at passive rotation of the neck and flexion and extension of elbows and knees | 2.4 | <.001 | .001 |
| Postural instability–retropulsion at the pull test | 20.0 | .02 | .01 |
| Superior functions | |||
| Frontal lobe function (Purdue Pegboard Test)–dominant hand | 9.1 | <.001 | <.001 |
Abbreviations: MMSE, Mini-Mental State Examination; NA, not applicable; SNAs, subtle neurological abnormalities; SPPB, Short Physical Performance Battery.
a
P values indicate significant differences in mean SPPB and mean MMSE between participants with and without each specific subtle neurological abnormality.