Preliminary 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). CI patients have particular features. These are preliminary data of a cohort study of Moldovan patients with incident Parkinson’s disease. Material and methods: 65 out of 111 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 Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test. Cognitive status 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 in patients with cardiovascular risk factors (91.7%, p> 0.05), symmetrical Parkinsonism (93.2%, p> 0.05), and in first disease symptom bradykinesia patients (93.8%, p> 0.05). Upper / Lower Asymmetry Index were lower in CI patients, all lower type patients (p> 0.05) having CI. MoCA scores correlated with Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale in ON fase (UPDRSon), (r = -0.320, p <0.022), and red flags number (r = -0.590, p < 0.006). Conclusions: Cognitive impairment 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.