Association between the Trail Making Test and physical performance in elderly Japanese.

Aim: The Trail Making Test (TMT) is used in Western countries as an indicator of executive function, but there is little information regarding its use in Japan. Our previous initial study showed that the TMT was significantly associated with mobility-related functions among elderly Japanese living in the community and in this study, we increased the number of participants to clarify that result.

Methods: The TMT, comprised of two parts (part A and part B), was administered to 493 subjects aged 65 years or older (164 men, 329 women). Our assessment used the time difference (DeltaTMT) between parts B and A, and eight physical performance indicators: four of preventive care (usual walking speed, timed Up & Go [TUG], one-leg standing balance and handgrip strength) and four movement parameters (maximum walking speed, dual-task TUG, stair climbing and obstacle-negotiating gait).

Results: The median DeltaTMT score was 64.01 s for men and 65.56 s for women. The DeltaTMT score increased with age, and there was no difference between sexes. Multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that a poor DeltaTMT was related to low tertiles for all physical performances. It related to the intermediate tertile of TUG and maximum walking speed, dual-task TUG, stair climbing and obstacle-negotiating gait.

Conclusion: The TMT reflects complex walking performance, so it can be a useful synthetic indicator for health programs promoting independence in elderly Japanese.