Decline in navigational ability - that allows humans to map their surroundings and follow directions - may indicate the onset of Alzheimer's disease in older adults, a study has found.
Changes in how humans map their surroundings and construct and follow directions as they age have been understudied compared to effects on memory and learning.
However, declines in navigational ability are independent of those more well-known cognitive downturns, and could form the basis for tools for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, researchers said.
"In humans, navigation is much more cumbersome to research than learning or memory," said Thomas Wolbers, from the German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases.
"But it has such a dramatic impact on everyday life, and the key structures of the 'navigational network' in the brain are very sensitive to both ordinary healthy ageing and pathological factors," said Wolbers.
Currently, Alzheimer's disease is diagnosed based on an individual's medical history, genetic risk factors, and performance on tests that measure memory, language, and reasoning impairments.
Researchers suggest that navigational impairments are among the earliest signs of the Alzheimer's progression.
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