Limitations of the Oral Trail Making Test in a Mixed Sample of Older Individuals

The utility of the Oral Trail Making Test (OTMT), a motor and visual-free alternative to the traditional Trail Making Test, was examined in 86 older (≥60 years old) medical inpatients and 30 healthy controls. The OTMT-Part B evidenced a moderate correlation with the MMSE, and individuals with medical conditions that affect cognition displayed a high failure rate (more than five errors or 300 + s). Moderate education effects were present for the OTMT-Part B. Thus, the current study suggests caution when employing this test and the above noted cutoffs with older medical patients or those with lower levels of education.