Cognitive Impairments inLRRK2-Related Parkinson’s Disease: A Study in Chinese Individuals

Background.LRRK2S1647T has been identified as a polymorphic risk variant for Parkinson’s disease (PD) in Chinese individuals. AsLRRK2is the most common genetic cause for PD, it has drawn great interest regarding whether cognitive impairments in PD are related withLRRK2.Purpose. This study aimed to explore the effects ofLRRK2S1647T polymorphism on cognitive function in PD.Method. 90 PD patients were randomly recruited. They underwent a series of clinical evaluations and genetic testing for theLRRK2S1647T polymorphism. Global intellect and five cognitive domains (language fluency, visuospatial function, attention, memory, and executive function) were compared between S1647T carriers and noncarriers.Results. No differences in motor features were found between two groups, but the executive function evaluation showed that Stroop word colour test time (SWCT-TIME) scores were lower inLRRK2S1647T carriers than in noncarriers (P=0.017). However, multiple linear regression analysis indicated that the correlation between S1647T polymorphism and SWCT-TIME scores did not reach significant level (P=0.051).Conclusion. Our findings suggest that cognitive impairments are not correlated with differentLRRK2S1647T polymorphisms in Chinese PD individuals.

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Cognitive training interventions for dementia and mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease - A cochrane review summary with commentary

Neurorehabilitation ◽

10.3233/nre-218001 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-3

Author(s):

Tobias Loetscher

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Cognitive Training ◽

Verbal Memory ◽

Cognitive Impairments ◽

Cochrane Review ◽

Cognitive Domains ◽

Training Interventions

BACKGROUND: The majority of people living with Parkinson’s disease will develop impairments in cognition. These impairments are associated with a reduced quality of life. OBJECTIVE: The Cochrane Review aimed to investigate whether cognitive training improves cognition in people with Parkinson’s disease and mild cognitive impairments or dementia. METHODS: A Cochrane Review by Orgeta et al. was summarized with comments. RESULTS: The review included seven studies with a total of 225 participants. There was no evidence for improvements in global cognition when cognitive training was compared to control conditions. Observed improvements in attention and verbal memory measures after cognitive training could not be confirmed in a subsequent sensitivity analysis. There was no evidence for benefits in other cognitive domains or quality of life measures. The certainty of the evidence was low for all comparisons. CONCLUSIONS: The effectiveness of cognitive training for people with Parkinson’s disease and cognitive impairments remains inconclusive. There is a pressing need for adequately powered trials with higher methodological quality.

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The relationship between specific cognitive defects and burden of care in Parkinson's disease

International Psychogeriatrics ◽

10.1017/s1041610215001593 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 28 (2) ◽

pp. 275-281 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Michael Zhong ◽

Richard Peppard ◽

Dennis Velakoulis ◽

Andrew H. Evans

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Caregiver Burden ◽

Assessment Tool ◽

Linear Regression Analysis ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Multiple Linear Regression Analysis ◽

Motor Symptom ◽

Depression And Anxiety ◽

Psychosocial Effects

ABSTRACTBackground:In spite of the recognized physical and psychosocial effects of caring for patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), caregiver burden (CB) in this setting is poorly understood. The objective of this research was to identify factors that were associated with CB in an Australian population of PD caregivers using a novel instrument – the Parkinson's Disease Caregiver Burden (PDCB) questionnaire.Methods:Fifty patient–caregiver couples were recruited from three movement disorders clinics in Melbourne, Australia. Burden on caregivers was rated using the PDCB questionnaire. Burden scores were correlated with patient factors, including motor symptom severity (Unified Parkinson's Disease Ratings Scale and Hoehn & Yahr (H&Y) scale), patient cognition (Neuropsychiatry Unit Cognitive Assessment Tool; NUCOG), presence of impulsive and compulsive behaviors (Questionnaire for Impulsive–Compulsive Disorders in Parkinson's disease), and patient olfaction. Caregiver and patient demographics, as well as results for depression and anxiety (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; HADS), were also examined for their relationship with CB.Results:H&Y stage, depression or anxiety in either caregiver or patient, and decreased patient NUCOG score were significantly associated with higher PDCB score. Multiple linear regression analysis identified caregiver and patient depression score and patient score for the visuoconstructional subscale of NUCOG to predict burden score. In addition, disease duration, duration of caregiving, and increased hours per day spent in giving care were significantly associated with increased burden.Conclusions:We found psychiatric and cognitive factors to be the most relevant factors in the perception of burden in PD caregivers. On top of this, we found deficits in the domain of visuoconstruction predicted burden – a relationship not yet described in literature. Targeting depression and anxiety in this setting as well as identifying caregivers at high risk of burden may give clinicians the chance to optimize care of patients with PD through the caregiver.

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Correlation of EEG Slowing with Cognitive Domains in Nondemented Patients with Parkinson's Disease

Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders ◽

10.1159/000370110 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 39 (3-4) ◽

pp. 207-214 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Ronan Zimmermann ◽

Ute Gschwandtner ◽

Florian Hatz ◽

Christian Schindler ◽

Habib Bousleiman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Working Memory ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Executive Function ◽

Long Term Memory ◽

Median Frequency ◽

Term Memory ◽

Cognitive Domains ◽

Visuospatial Functions

Background: Cognitive deficits in Parkinson's disease (PD) are heterogeneous and can be classified into cognitive domains. Quantitative EEG is related to and predictive of cognitive status in PD. In this cross-sectional study, the relationship of cognitive domains and EEG slowing in PD patients without dementia is investigated. Methods: A total of 48 patients with idiopathic PD were neuropsychologically tested. Cognitive domain scores were calculated combining Z-scores of test variables. Slowing of EEG was measured with median EEG frequency. Linear regression was used for correlational analyses and to control for confounding factors. Results: EEG median frequency was significantly correlated to cognitive performance in most domains (episodic long-term memory, rho = 0.54; overall cognitive score, rho = 0.47; fluency, rho = 0.39; attention, rho = 0.37; executive function, rho = 0.34), but not to visuospatial functions and working memory. Conclusion: Global EEG slowing is a marker for overall cognitive impairment in PD and correlates with impairment in the domains attention, executive function, verbal fluency, and episodic long-term memory, but not with working memory and visuospatial functions. These disparate effects warrant further investigations.

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Dopaminergic and Metabolic Correlations With Cognitive Domains in Non-demented Parkinson’s Disease

Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience ◽

10.3389/fnagi.2021.627356 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 ◽

Author(s):

Linlin Han ◽

Jiaying Lu ◽

Yilin Tang ◽

Yun Fan ◽

Qisi Chen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Executive Function ◽

Cerebral Metabolism ◽

Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽

Metabolic Imaging ◽

Cognitive Domains ◽

Positron Emission ◽

18F Fdg

BackgroundAccruing positron emission tomography (PET) studies have suggested that dopaminergic functioning and metabolic changes are correlated with cognitive dysfunction in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Yet, the relationship between dopaminergic or cerebral metabolism and different cognitive domains in PD is poorly understood. To address this scarcity, we aimed to investigate the interactions among dopaminergic bindings, metabolic network changes, and the cognitive domains in PD patients.MethodsWe recruited 41 PD patients, including PD patients with no cognitive impairment (PD-NC; n = 21) and those with mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI; n = 20). All patients underwent clinical evaluations and a schedule of neuropsychological tests and underwent both 11C-N-2-carbomethoxy-3-(4-fluorophenyl)-tropane (11C-CFT) and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) PET imaging.Results11C-CFT imaging revealed a significant positive correlation between executive function and striatal dopamine transporter (DAT) binding at both the voxel and regional levels. Metabolic imaging revealed that executive function correlated with 18F-FDG uptake, mainly in inferior frontal gyrus, putamen, and insula. Further analysis indicated that striatal DAT binding correlated strictly with metabolic activity in the temporal gyrus, medial frontal gyrus, and cingulate gyrus.ConclusionOur findings might promote the understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying cognitive impairment in PD.

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Correlation between Executive Network Integrity and Sarcopenia in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph16244884 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (24) ◽

pp. 4884 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Chih-Ying Lee ◽

Hsiu-Ling Chen ◽

Pei-Chin Chen ◽

Yueh-Sheng Chen ◽

Pi-Ling Chiang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Executive Function ◽

Muscle Mass ◽

Rating Scale ◽

Diffusion Tensor ◽

Linear Regression Analysis ◽

The Body ◽

Clinical Severity ◽

Anterior Thalamic Radiation

Background: Sarcopenia is critically associated with morbidity and mortality in the progression of Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, analyses of clinical severity and brain changes, such as white matter (WM) alterations in PD patients with sarcopenia are limited. Further understanding of the factors associated with sarcopenia may provide a focused screen and potential for early intervention in PD patients. Methods: 52 PD patients and 19 healthy participants accepted dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry to measure the body composition. Using diffusion tensor imaging, the difference of WM integrity was measured between PD patients with sarcopenia (PDSa) and without sarcopenia (PDNSa). Multivariate analysis was performed to explore the relationships between clinical factors, WM integrity, and sarcopenia in PD patients. Results: 21 PD patients (40.4%) had sarcopenia. PDSa had a higher Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS III) score, lower body mass index (BMI) and lower fat weight compared with the PDNSa. Additionally, PDSa patients exhibited lower fractional anisotropy accompanied by higher radial diffusivity and/or higher mean diffusivity in the fronto-striato-thalamic circuits, including bilateral cingulum, left superior longitudinal fasciculus, left genu of corpus callosum, and right anterior thalamic radiation, which participate in the executive function. In addition, decreased muscle mass was associated with worse WM integrity in these regions. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that WM integrity in the left cingulum, right anterior thalamic radiation, together with gender (male) significantly predicted muscle mass in PD patients. Conclusions: WM alterations in the executive network, such as the fronto-striato-thalamic circuits, may indicate a risk factor for ongoing sarcopenia in PD patients. The effectiveness of using executive function to serve as a prodromal marker of sarcopenia in PD patients should be evaluated in future studies.

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