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Parkinsonian signs and cognitive function in old age.
Debra A Fleischman1, Robert S Wilson, Julia L Bienias
1Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60612, USA. Debra_Fleischman@rush.edu
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society : JINS
|October 11, 2005
Summary
Parkinsonian signs like gait issues, rigidity, and bradykinesia are modestly linked to lower cognitive function in older adults. This association, though reliable, explains less than 5% of cognitive variability.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Cognitive Science
- Gerontology
Background:
- Parkinsonian signs are observed in aging and linked to cognitive function.
- The specific impact of different parkinsonian signs on distinct cognitive domains requires further clarification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between specific parkinsonian signs and various cognitive domains in older adults.
- To determine the extent to which motor signs explain cognitive function variability.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of a large cohort of older adults from the Rush Memory and Aging Project.
- Examination of four parkinsonian signs (gait, rigidity, bradykinesia, tremor) and five cognitive domains.
- Regression analyses controlling for age, sex, education, and other health factors.
Main Results:
- Higher levels of gait, rigidity, and bradykinesia were associated with lower cognitive function.
- These parkinsonian signs explained less than 5% of the variance in most cognitive measures.
- The association did not significantly differ across cognitive domains or tests.
Conclusions:
- Parkinsonian signs exhibit a modest but statistically significant association with cognitive function in aging.
- The findings suggest a limited explanatory power of these motor signs for cognitive variability.