Conscious attention defect and inhibitory control deficit in Parkinson's Disease-Mild Cognitive Impairment: A
Davide Maria Cammisuli1, Marco Timpano Sportiello
1Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular, and Critical Area Pathology, Pisa University School of Medicine, 2 Via Paradisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy, d.cammisuli@med.unipi.it.
Background:
Frontal/executive dysfunction commonly occurs in Parkinso's disease - Mild Cognitive Impairment (PD-MCI patients). However, to date, the number of studies comparing PD-MCI and MCI patients of other etiologies are too small. The present study aims at clarifying the attention/working memory and executive dysfunction of PD-MCI patients in comparison to amnestic MCI multiple domain patients with first extended then abbreviated structural brain changes suggesting preclinical Alzheimer's Disease.
Subjects And Methods:
40 PD-MCI patients and 40 amnestic MCI multiple domain (aMCI+) patients were diagnosed according to the International guidelines. 22 healthy subjects were also recruited as control group. The groups were assessed by a wide neuropsychological battery, including measures of attention/working memory (Digit Span and Stroop Test), executive functions (Tower of London-Drexel Version -TOLDX- and Brixton Test), language (Boston Naming Test and Category Fluency), memory (Prose Recall and Pairs Associates Learning), and visuospatial function (Street's Completion Test and Constructive Apraxia Test). Performances were compared by non parametric tests. Spearman correlations were performed to explore association between neuropsychological measures of attention/working memory and executive functions in PD-MCI group.
Results:
The PD-MCI patients performed worse on Digit Span and Stroop Interference/Error than aMCI+ and controls. AMCI+ patients, in turn, showed a greater deficit on TOLDX Initiation Time and on Violation Time than PD-MCI and controls. Both PD-MCI and aMCI+ patients reported lower scores on Stroop Interference/Time than controls. Moreover, aMCI+ patients performed worse then controls on Brixton Test. Positive correlations between Digit Span and Stroop Interference/Error, Stroop Interference/Error and TOLDX Execution Time, Total Time and Violation Time, Stroop Interference Time and TOLDX Move Score and Total Time were found in PD-MCI group.
Conclusion:
PD-MCI patients mainly present a conscious attention defect and an inhibitory control deficit than aMCI+. PD-MCI patients with deficits in attention/working memory domain should undergo specific cognitive trainings in order to improve cognitive abilities and prevent Parkinson's Disease Dementia onset.
Insights
Parkinson's disease Mild Cognitive Impairment (PD-MCI) patients show attention and executive dysfunction compared to other MCI types. Early cognitive training may help prevent Parkinson's Disease Dementia.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neurology
Background:
- Frontal/executive dysfunction is common in Parkinson's disease Mild Cognitive Impairment (PD-MCI).
- Limited studies compare PD-MCI with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) from other causes.
- This study investigates cognitive differences between PD-MCI and amnestic MCI with preclinical Alzheimer's Disease (aMCI+).
Purpose of the Study:
- To clarify attention/working memory and executive dysfunction in PD-MCI.
- To compare PD-MCI with aMCI+ patients.
- To identify specific cognitive deficits in PD-MCI.
Main Methods:
- Diagnosed 40 PD-MCI and 40 aMCI+ patients using international guidelines.
- Included 22 healthy controls.
- Administered a comprehensive neuropsychological battery assessing attention, working memory, executive functions, language, memory, and visuospatial abilities.
Main Results:
- PD-MCI patients exhibited worse performance on Digit Span and Stroop tests compared to aMCI+ and controls.
- aMCI+ patients showed greater deficits in TOLDX Initiation Time and Violation Time than PD-MCI and controls.
- Both PD-MCI and aMCI+ patients had lower scores on Stroop Interference/Time than controls.
Conclusions:
- PD-MCI patients primarily exhibit attention deficits and impaired inhibitory control compared to aMCI+.
- Cognitive training targeting attention/working memory deficits in PD-MCI is recommended.
- Intervention may improve cognitive function and prevent the onset of Parkinson's Disease Dementia.
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