Effects of electronic maps on wayfinding abilities of patients with mild Alzheimer disease

We explored the effect and the difference between types of navigation maps (north-up map versus track-up map), landmarks, and the map complexity on the wayfinding abilities of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients. Our study included 48 participants (12 patients with AD, 12 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 24 normal elderly subjects). We developed a virtual maze with 3Dmax and an interface with Virtools. Our results showed that the wayfinding abilities were worse in the AD group compared with the MCI group and the normal elderly. However, with the support of track-up maps, the AD group and the MCI group had similar performance as the normal elderly. The time spent on wayfinding decreased when using less complex maps and maps with no landmarks. All cognitive tests which we performed were significantly correlated with wayfinding abilities. Our study helped to establish future electric navigation maps built for patients with cognition impairment.