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Executive function but not episodic memory decline associated with visual hallucinations in Parkinson's disease
Byron Creese1, Christopher P Albertyn2, Sasha Dworkin2
1University of Exeter Medical School, UK.
Journal of Neuropsychology
|July 24, 2018
Summary
Visual hallucinations (VH) in Parkinson's disease (PD) are linked to faster cognitive decline, particularly in executive function. Persistent VH significantly drives this decline over one year.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Visual hallucinations (VH) significantly impact Parkinson's disease (PD) patients' quality of life.
- The link between VH and cognitive impairment in PD is established, but longitudinal data on specific cognitive domains are needed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To profile cognitive decline associated with VH in a cohort of 69 individuals with PD over one year.
- To investigate the relationship between persistent and transient VH and cognitive changes.
Main Methods:
- VH were assessed every 3 months via phone interviews.
- Executive function and episodic memory were evaluated at baseline and 1 year.
- Participants were categorized into no-VH, transient VH (one episode), and persistent VH (>1 episode) groups.
Main Results:
- VH were associated with more rapid overall cognitive decline (p=0.02).
- This decline was primarily driven by executive function deficits (p=0.02).
- Persistent VH, but not transient VH, was significantly linked to executive function decline (p=0.02).
Conclusions:
- Persistent VH are a key factor in cognitive decline, especially executive function, in Parkinson's disease.
- Findings clarify the VH-cognitive decline relationship in PD.
- Further research is warranted for biomarker and treatment studies.