Subtle differences in handwriting could indicate cognitive decline (Image: Getty)
A person’s handwriting can provide a “window to the brain” and reveal early signs of cognitive decline, according to researchers. Cognitive decline includes the gradual loss of thinking, memory and reasoning skills, which can be a precursor to more serious changes such as mild cognitive impairment or dementia. Experts around the world are searching for methods to detect the earliest signs of brain health changes, when treatments are more likely to be successful.
Handwriting might offer a glimpse into the mind’s inner workings, potentially revealing early indications of cognitive decline, researchers suggest. Cognitive decline, which encompasses the gradual deterioration of memory, reasoning, and thinking abilities, can precede more significant conditions like mild cognitive impairment or dementia. Globally, experts are striving to develop methods for identifying these initial brain health changes, a critical period when interventions can be most effective.
In Portugal, a research team explored the potential of handwriting assessments as a diagnostic tool. Dr. Ana Rita Matias, an assistant professor in the Department of Sport and Health at the University of Évora, remarked, “Writing transcends a mere motor activity; it serves as a window into the brain.” She noted that older adults experiencing cognitive impairments exhibited unique patterns in the timing and structure of their handwriting movements.
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Matias further elaborated, “Tasks demanding higher cognitive abilities revealed that cognitive decline manifests in the efficiency and coherence of handwriting movements over time.”
The findings, detailed in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, explored whether aspects such as writing speed and stroke organization varied between individuals diagnosed with cognitive decline and those without such conditions.
Researchers enlisted 58 adults between the ages of 62 and 92 residing in care facilities. Among them, 38 had been previously diagnosed with some form of mild cognitive impairment. Participants used a digital tablet and pen to perform various tasks, including drawing 10 horizontal lines within 20 seconds. Additionally, a handwriting task required them to write two sentences of differing complexity, either presented on a card or dictated aloud.
Dr Matias said: “Dictation tasks are more sensitive because they require the brain to do multiple things at once: listen, process language, convert sounds into written form, and coordinate movement.
Participants completed a series of writing tasks (Image: Ana Rita Silva)
“Even within dictation tasks, differences can emerge. A longer, less predictable, or linguistically demanding sentence places greater strain on cognitive resources.”
Start time and the number of strokes were found to differ markedly between people with cognitive impairment and those with healthy cognition. Researchers hope their findings could be used to develop cheap diagnostic tests that can be used by doctors to identify early signs of brain decline.
Dr Matias said: “Timing and stroke organisation are closely linked to how the brain plans and executes actions, which depends on working memory and executive control. As these cognitive systems decline, writing becomes slower, more fragmented, and less coordinated.
“In contrast, other features can remain relatively preserved, especially in the early stages of cognitive decline, making them less sensitive indicators. The long-term goal is to develop a tool that is easy to administer, time-efficient, and affordable, allowing integration into everyday healthcare contexts without requiring specialised or expensive equipment.”
