Journal Article

The “Little Circles Test” (LCT): a dusted-off tool for assessing fine visuomotor function

Migliaccio, Miriana, Ilardi, Ciro Rosario, Amato, Raffaella, Cavaliere, Carlo, La Marra, Marco, Di Maio, Girolamo, Di Cecca, Angelica, Ciccarelli, Giuseppina, Federico, Giovanni

2023

Overview

Background The fine visuomotor function is commonly impaired in several neurological conditions. However, there is a scarcity of reliable neuropsychological tools to assess such a critical domain. Aims The aim of this study is to explore the psychometric properties and provide normative data for the Visual-Motor Speed and Precision Test (VMSPT). Results Our normative sample included 220 participants (130 females) aged 18–86 years (mean education = 15.24 years, SD = 3.98). Results showed that raw VMSPT scores were affected by higher age and lower education. No effect of sex or handedness was shown. Age- and education-based norms were provided. VMSPT exhibited weak-to-strong correlations with well-known neuropsychological tests, encompassing a wide range of cognitive domains of clinical relevance. By gradually intensifying the cognitive demands, the test becomes an indirect, performance-oriented measure of executive functioning. Finally, VMSPT seems proficient in capturing the speed-accuracy trade-off typically observed in the aging population. Conclusions This study proposes the initial standardization of a versatile, time-efficient, and cost-effective neuropsychological tool for assessing fine visuomotor coordination. We propose renaming the VMSPT as the more approachable “Little Circles Test” (LCT).

• Publisher: Springer International Publishing,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Executive function / Geriatrics/Gerontology / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Neuropsychology / Original Article