Cognitive Flexibility is Critical for Postural Control in Parkinson Disease

Postural instability is a common and debilitating symptom in Parkinson disease (PD) that impacts daily functioning and quality of life. Executive function, a domain of cognitive functioning, has been associated with postural control. Impairments in executive function, therefore, may lead to postural instability. Here, we hypothesize that cognitive flexibility may be particularly relevant to postural instability and use specifically selected cognitive assessments to evaluate cognitive flexibility and other key aspects of executive function.

To examine the relationship between postural instability and cognitive flexibility in PD.

We assessed 36 individuals, including 12 with PD and postural instability (PDPI+), 12 with PD without postural instability (PDPI-), and a control group of 12 age-matched individuals without PD. Cognitive assessments included the MoCA and the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery. We also calculated a clinical balance score (CBS) during clinical evaluation. We used ANOVA, ANCOVA, Pearson correlation, and partial correlation analyses.

The PDPI+ group exhibited significant cognitive deficits compared to the control group. We observed strong negative correlations between CBS and cognitive flexibility in all participants with PD, suggesting a robust connection between cognitive flexibility and postural control. These associations remained significant after controlling for age, disease duration, and levodopa-equivalent daily dose.

Our findings underscore the importance of the relationship between cognitive flexibility and postural control in individuals with PD. These results highlight the potential for targeted interventions to improve cognitive flexibility and, consequently, postural stability in individuals with PD.