Relationship between cognitive performance and mobility in patients with Parkinson's disease: A cross-sectional study

Gait disorders may be associated with cognitive impairment, and slow speed predicts cognitive impairment and dementia.

To investigate the relationships between cognitive function and gait performance in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) who attended a hospital neurorehabilitation program.

Descriptive and inferential statistics (Pearson's correlation) were used for data analysis. The cognitive functions were evaluated through Digit Span, Mental Control, Trail Making Test, Phonemic Verbal Fluency Task, and Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination III. The motor function was assessed through 10-meter walk test, Mini BESTest and Timed Up and Go Test.

A total of 65 patients were included in this study. Of these, 66.15% were males, mean age was 61.14 (8.39) years, mean educational was 12 (8) years, disease progression time was 5.45 (4.37) years. 64.61% were in stages I and II of the Hoehn and Yahr stage. The correlation analyses showed that balance skills are significantly correlated with the ability to switch attention between two tasks and visuospatial function. The function mobility showed a significant correlation with cognitive tests.

Data suggest the importance of the aspects of switch attention and mental flexibility in gait, evidencing the greater difficulty for double tasks.