Relationship of Handwriting Skills With Cognitive Functions and Sensory Processing in the Older Adults

Abstract

Aims: Handwriting involves complex processes, including cognitive function and sensory processing. Cognitive function and sensory processing change with aging. However, the relationship between these parameters remains unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between cognitive function and sensory processing with handwriting skills in the older adults. Methods: Fifty-six community-dwelling individuals aged 65-75 years completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and handwriting tasks. Results: The mean age was 70.62 +/- 3.49 years. The strongest correlations were observed between MoCA and the handwriting subtest. Low registration, sensory sensitivity, and sensation avoiding were positively correlated with handwriting subtests. Moreover, the results showed that these skills were also predictive of older adults' handwriting skills (p < 0.05). Conclusions: It is crucial for occupational therapists and physiotherapists to integrate handwriting skill assessment into their clinical settings in terms of its relationship with cognitive and sensory processing.