Correlative factors of cognitive dysfunction in PD patients: a cross-sectional study from Southwest China

Cognitive dysfunction is common in Parkinson's disease (PD). A comprehensive understanding of cognitive dysfunction and its correlative factors in Chinese PD patients were not available.

This cross-sectional study included 454 PD patients. Cognitive function was evaluated using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Non-motor symptoms were assessed using the Non-Motor Symptoms Scale (NMSS), and depression and anxiety were assessed using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, respectively.

Cognitive dysfunction was observed in 58.1% of the patients. The mean age, age of onset, scores of rigidity, bradykinesia, axial impairment, tremor, speech and facial expression, total Unified PD Rating Scale part III and H&Y stage, and NMSS scores were significantly higher in PD patients with cognitive dysfunction than in those without cognitive dysfunction. The prevalence of sleep/fatigue domain with the item 'difficulty falling asleep', mood/apathy domain with the item 'feelings of nervousness', perceptual problems/hallucinations domain with the item 'delusions', attention/memory domain with the items 'concentration' and 'forget to do things', gastrointestinal domain with the items 'dribbling saliva' and 'swallowing', urinary domain with the item 'nocturia', and the item 'taste or smell' in the miscellaneous domain were significantly higher in PD patients with cognitive dysfunction. Logistic regression indicated that female sex, older age, lower education level, higher bradykinesia score, and presence of the urinary domain were associated with cognitive dysfunction in PD.

Age, sex, education level, bradykinesia score, and presence of urinary symptoms are correlative factors of cognitive dysfunction in Chinese PD patients.