Dopaminergic effects on cognitive performance in patients with Parkinson's disease.
A group of twelve patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease was assessed both on and off L-Dopa medication on a range of tests of cognitive performance. Withdrawal of L-Dopa produced impairments in tests sensitive to frontal lobe dysfunction such as verbal fluency and the Tower of London task. Another test of frontal lobe function, the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, was not affected in the absence of L-Dopa. Memory functions such as short-term span and verbal paired associate memory were not impaired by L-Dopa withdrawal. The results suggest that some of the cognitive impairments observed in Parkinson's disease, namely frontal lobe deficits, are related to a loss of central dopaminergic function.
Lange
K W
KW
Department of Neuropsychology and Research Programme in Neuropsychology and Neurolinguistics, University of Freiburg, Federal Republic of Germany.
Paul
G M
GM
Naumann
M
M
Gsell
W
W
D000368:Aged; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D015259:Dopamine Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007980:Levodopa / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology
D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D015259:Dopamine Agents; D007980:Levodopa; D004298:Dopamine