Abstract

Sensory and motor impairments have been independently associated with cognitive decline in older adults. However, less is known about the association between combined sensory and motor impairments and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). This study investigated the association between sensorimotor phenotypes and MCI in community-dwelling older adults. This cross-sectional study included 458 community-dwelling older adults. Sensory impairment was determined using a composite score based on visual acuity and auditory function. Motor impairment was assessed using the Short Physical Performance Battery. Participants were classified into four sensorimotor phenotypes: preserved function, sensory impairment, motor impairment, and dual impairment. MCI was identified using education-adjusted Montreal Cognitive Assessment cutoffs. Binary logistic regression models and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were performed. Sensory impairment (OR = 2.21; 95%CI: 1.19–4.11), motor impairment (OR = 3.00; 95%CI: 1.12–8.06), and dual impairment (OR = 6.46; 95%CI: 3.14–13.28) were significantly associated with MCI in the fully adjusted model. The predictive model demonstrated moderate discriminatory ability (AUC = 0.750), with a sensitivity of 84.0% and specificity of 43.3%. Sensorimotor phenotypes were significantly associated with MCI. The coexistence of sensory and motor impairments showed the strongest association with MCI, suggesting that combined sensorimotor deficits may represent a clinically relevant marker of neurocognitive vulnerability in aging.

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