MRI atrophy parameters related to cognitive and motor impairment in Parkinson's disease.
BACKGROUND
Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) show specific neuropsychological deficits in attention, memory, visuospatial or frontal lobe functions, which can arise from degeneration of different cerebral structures.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to analyze the role of focal degeneration (basal ganglia and substantia nigra) and diffuse cerebral atrophy (ventricular enlargement) in motor/cognitive impairment in PD.


METHODS
We administered to 14 patients with advanced PD the following tests: Purdue Pegboard, Rey's Auditory-Verbal Learning test (RAVLT), Benton's Line Orientation, Trail Making, phonemic verbal fluency and Stroop test. Ventricular system, caudate and putamen nuclei and pars compacta of the substantia nigra were quantitatively measured by magnetic resonance imaging. Correlation analyses were carried out.


RESULTS
The results showed that ventricular enlargement is negatively correlated with the performance on RAVLT and Stroop test. No relationship was found between caudate atrophy and cognitive deficits. Degeneration of putamen nucleus was found to be associated with motor deficits.


CONCLUSIONS
Memory and frontal impairment are related to diffuse cerebral degeneration and the motor deficit is related to degeneration of the putamen nucleus.
Alegret
M
M
Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS).
Junqué
C
C
Pueyo
R
R
Valldeoriola
F
F
Vendrell
P
P
Tolosa
E
E
Mercader
J M
JM
D000368:Aged; D001284:Atrophy; D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000473:pathology; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D002552:Cerebral Ventricles / Q000473:pathology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000473:pathology