Results of the cohort study of cognitive impairment associated with Parkinson's disease

Abstract

Background: Cognitive impairment (CI) is frequent in Parkinson’s Disease (PD), having particular features. Material and methods: Sixty-five consecutive PD patients, (mean age 64.87 ± 7.69 y.o.; disease duration 50.21 ± 38.61 mo.; 48 women (43.2%), 63 men (56.8%)) underwent MoCA and Beck tests. Cognitive status was graded as: (1) normal and (2) impaired cognition. Results: There were similar: ages (65.79 ± 7.13 vs 62.17 ± 12.21 y.o.), onset ages (61.44 ± 7.61 vs 57.00 ± 12.95 years), disease duration (49.63 ± 36.78 vs 66.00 ± 26.48) months, levodopa (574.58 ± 129 vs 249.55) and agonists doses (5.19 ± 3.02 vs 1.05 ± 0.05) and Beck scores (8.13 ± 6.21 vs 7.4 ± 3.85), in groups. CI was present in 59 (90.8%) patients; more frequent patients with cardiovascular risk factors (91.7% vs 80.0%, p > 0.05), symmetrical parkinsonism (41 pts (93.2%) vs 18 pts (85.7%), p > 0.05), and in first disease symptom bradykinesia patients (30 pts (93.8%) vs 23 pts (85.2%), p > 0.05). Upper / Lower Asymmetry Indexes (0.60 ± 0.37 vs 2.4 ± 0.97, p > 0.05) were lower in CI patients, all lower type patients (15 pts (100%) vs 18 pts (85.6%), p > 0.05) having CI. MoCA scores correlated with UPDRS on (r = -0.320, p <0.022), and red flags number (r = -0.590, p < 0.006). Conclusions: CI is more expectable in akinetic, symmetric and lower type parkinsonism, also in patients with cardiovascular risk factors, with probable PD, and a more motor impairment.