Brasilia Parkinson Cohort: assessing clinical, neuropsychological and imaging predictors of cognitive decline in Parkinson's disease
The following study protocol describes the rationale and methods of a cohort with a nested case-control study, which aims to identify risk factors and predictors of cognitive dysfunction in Parkinson's disease (PD). It is a study that will follow PD every 18 months with a comprehensive neuropsychological, clinical (motor and non-motor symptoms) and imaging (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) data collection. The criteria for diagnosing mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia will respect the parameters previously published by the International Working Group on Mild Cognitive Impairment, and compared with those recommended by the Fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders of the American Psychiatric Association (DSM-5) and the International Parkinson's and Movement Disorders Society (MDS) criteria. We will also evaluate the neural substrate and underpinnings of PD non-motor symptoms, using advanced neuroimaging techniques, such as diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and gray matter and white matter volumetric measurements.