title: Cognitive and motor dysfunction in Parkinson's disease. Clinical, performance, and computed tomographic correlations.
abstract: The neuropathologic and pathophysiological relationship of specific to more generalized cognitive dysfunction in Parkinson's disease (PD) remains incompletely understood. This issue was examined in a study of 39 patients with PD, utilizing standardized clinical measures, computerized neuropsychological tests, and quantitative computed tomography. Disorders of visuospatial discrimination and perceptual-motor function closely paralleled motor scores, suggesting a common neuropathologic basis. Caudate nuclear and mesocortical dopamine depletion play a role in this context. More generalized cognitive dysfunction occurred in older patients with a somewhat longer disease duration, more advanced parkinsonism, and computed tomographic evidence of subcortical and frontal cortical atrophy but without significant cerebral atrophy when compared with age-matched controls. Further prospective clinicopathologic studies will be required to clarify the relative contribution of the primary dopaminergic dysfunction, age-related changes, Alzheimer-type pathologic condition, and other coexisting neurotransmitter deficits to the dementia seen in PD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Public Hospital, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Lichter
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Corbett
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Fitzgibbon
authors.forename: O R
authors.initials: OR
authors.lastname: Davidson
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Hope
authors.forename: G V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Goddard
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Sharples
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pollock
mesh_terms: D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D009068:Movement; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011930:Reaction Time; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014888:Wechsler Scales