Mild Cognitive Impairment and Hand Dexterity in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) presents various complications, but Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) has recently gained considerable attention due to its potential progression to dementia. Hand dexterity is highlighted as crucial for cognitive tasks, suggesting that even minor cognitive impairments can impact daily activities. Despite this, there has been no exploration of the relationship between MCI and hand dexterity in individuals with T2DM. Aim: To determine the relationship between MCI and hand dexterity in people with T2DM. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 45 diabetic patients aged 40-60 years from Justice KS Hegde Charitable Hospital in Mangaluru, Karnataka, India. The study was conducted from May 2023 to March 2024. Participants were recruited based on specific inclusion criteria and screened using tools such as the Semmes Weinstein Monofilament and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Subsequently, selected participants underwent the hand dexterity test using the Box and Block Test (BBT) and their performance values were recorded. The categorical variables were presented as frequency and percentage. The continuous variables were presented as mean±SD. Correlation was performed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Linear regression was conducted for significant correlations. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Individuals in the study scored lower than expected values on both right and left hand tasks compared to normative scores. Moderate positive correlations were found between BBT scores and MoCA scores for both right (r-value=0.469, p-value=0.001) and left (r-value=0.516, p-value <0.001) hand tasks with p-value <0.05. Conclusion: The study reveals a significant positive correlation between BBT and MoCA scores. This suggests that hand dexterity is closely linked to cognitive function, emphasising the importance of integrating manual dexterity assessments into cognitive evaluations, particularly in populations where both motor and cognitive abilities are clinically relevant.