Cognitive and motor profiles as prodromal markers in predicting phenoconversion and phenotype in isolated REM sleep...

To determine the clinical markers based on cognitive and motor profiles in predicting phenoconverion and phenotype in isolated rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (iRBD).

45 iRBD patients and 25 healthy controls were included in the follow-up study. All participates received comprehensive evaluations of cognitive, motor and autonomic function at baseline. Positive phenoconversion were identified according to standard diagnostic criteria during follow-up.

21 iRBD patients displayed phenoconversion in a mean follow-up of 2.9 ± 1.6 years, with 14 presenting motor phenotype and 7 cognitive phenotype. In iRBD, visuospatial, memory, attention-executive function, information processing speed, and motor function predicted phenoconversion, with the combination of Trail Making Test (TMT) and Alternate-tap Test (ATT) performing best (sensitivity = 95.0 %, specificity = 75.0 %); attention-executive function, information processing speed, and motor function predicted motor phenotype conversion, with the combination of TMT and ATT performing best (sensitivity = 100 %, specificity = 66.7 %); visuospatial, memory, and attention-executive function predicted cognitive phenotype conversion, with TMT performing best (sensitivity = 83.3 %, specificity = 91.7 %). Furthermore, individuals with lower z-scores of TMT, Symbol Digit Modalities Test, and ATT than the established cutoff values in iRBD exhibited a significantly higher risk for phenoconversion at follow-up (HR = 2.98, 9.53, 11.68; respectively).

In iRBD, the attention-executive and motor function served as optimum combined markers in predicting phenoconversion and motor phenotype, whereas the attention-executive function performed best in predicting cognitive phenotype. Poor attention-executive function, information processing speed and motor function in iRBD independently increased the risk of phenoconversion.