Picture naming performance as a behavioral marker of cognitive and functional status in mild cognitive impairment

Picture naming performance, including accuracy and reaction time (RT) for living and nonliving objects, may provide sensitive markers of cognitive and functional status in older adults. The authors examined whether naming measures differentiate individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) from healthy older adults (HOAs) and relate to global cognition and daily functioning. Twenty-three participants with MCI and twenty-five HOAs completed a 120-item picture naming task and assessments including the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL), and Geriatric Depression Scale. Participants with MCI were significantly slower and less accurate than HOAs, with both groups showing better performance for nonliving items. Logistic regression classified 89.1% of participants correctly. In the MCI group, accuracy for living items predicted MoCA scores, whereas RT for living items predicted MoCA scores in HOAs. Partial correlations in the MCI group further indicated that slower RTs for living items and lower accuracy for nonliving items were associated with reduced IADL scores. The authors showed that picture naming, particularly accuracy and speed for living items, provides clinically meaningful information about cognitive integrity and subtle functional decline. The authors showed that naming measures may enhance the early detection of MCI.