[Diagnosis and Treatment of Cognitive Impairment in Parkinson's Disease]

Parkinson's disease (PD) patients can present with cognitive impairment, such as deficits in attention and memory processes, visual perception, executive function and social cognition. These dysfunctions negatively affect the activities of daily living and outcome of patients. Some of the risk factors, pathological background and etiology of cognitive dysfunction in PD with dementia (PDD) have been determined. Treatments for such dysfunctions are attracting much attention. Some medications, such as donepezil, rivastigmine, and memantine, have shown to improve motor and/or cognitive functions. Cognitive impairment and motor symptoms in PD can be treated concurrently. Therefore, the correlation between motor and cognitive function should be considered when treating PD.