スクラッチを用いた認知機能評価システムの開発

-トレイルメイキングテストのデジタル化と拡張によって-

抄録

The Trail Making Test (TMT) is a common neuropsychological test that assesses selective attention and executive functions and is used to detect dementia. However, the test lacks efficiency due to its paper-based format. In this study, we digitally transformed (DX) the TMT using Scratch, a high-level block-based visual programming language. This is a user-friendly programming language and allows beginners to create advanced games and programs. In the DX-TMT we developed, two new tasks, one of which with an increased difficulty level, were added in addition to the two original tasks from the paper-based TMT. The results showed that the DX-TMT reproduced the basic features of the paper-based TMT. The additional task with increased difficulty was associated with a longer completion time than the original tasks, especially in elderly subjects, with greater individual differences. These results suggest that the DX-TMT could be utilized for the early detection of mild cognitive impairment.