Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41998313›Full record

ArticleBehavior research methods2026

Beyond traditional assessments of cognitive status: Exploring the potential of spatial navigation tasks.

Giorgio Colombo, Karolina Minta, Tyler Thrash, Jascha Grübel, Jan Wiener, Marios Avraamides, William R Taylor, Christoph Hölscher, Victor R Schinazi

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Behavior research methods, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Giorgio Colombo *Future Health Technologies, Singapore-ETH Centre, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), Singapore, 138602, Singapore. gicolombo@ethz.ch.
Karolina Minta *Future Health Technologies, Singapore-ETH Centre, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), Singapore, 138602, Singapore.
Tyler ThrashDepartment of Biology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, USA.
Jascha GrübelDepartment of Network and Data Science, Central European University, Vienna, Austria.
Jan WienerDepartment of Psychology, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, UK.
Marios AvraamidesDepartment of Psychology, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Rise Nicosia, Cyprus.
William R TaylorInstitute for Biomechanics, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Christoph HölscherChair of Cognitive Science, ETH Zürich, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland.
Victor R SchinaziFuture Health Technologies, Singapore-ETH Centre, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), Singapore, 138602, Singapore.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Deficits in spatial and navigation abilities are among the earliest signs of dementia. Yet, traditional neuropsychological tests primarily target memory and attention. The Spatial Performance Assessment for Cognitive Evaluation (SPACE) is a novel gamified digital assessment for iPads that uses various spatial tasks to detect early deficits in spatial navigation abilities indicative of cognitive impairment. In this study, 348 participants aged 21-76 completed the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), SPACE, and a sociodemographic and health questionnaire. We investigated whether SPACE could predict scores on the MoCA beyond known risk factors for cognitive impairment. Using a factor analysis, we then assessed whether SPACE could complement the MoCA by capturing latent variables independent of MoCA scores that represent additional spatial aspects of cognitive functioning. Results from a hierarchical regression revealed that the pointing and perspective-taking tasks in SPACE significantly predicted MoCA scores beyond age and gender. Surprisingly, none of the risk factors predicted MoCA scores. The factor analysis revealed that the MoCA and perspective-taking contributed to a separate factor from the other navigation tasks in SPACE. We also provide normative data on age and gender for each task in SPACE, which can serve as benchmarks for future studies to identify individuals at risk.

Indexed as

CognitionCognitive DysfunctionNeuropsychological TestsSpatial NavigationAdultAgedFemaleHumansMaleMental Status and Dementia TestsMiddle AgedYoung AdultAgingCognitive StatusDigital Cognitive AssessmentNeuropsychologyPsychometricsSpatial Navigation

Identifiers

PMID41998313
PMCPMC13090228

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.