[Evaluation of cognitive impairment in a population of patients with Parkinson's disease by means of the mini mental Parkinson test].
BACKGROUND
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder in which motor symptoms are initially predominant; however, as the disease progresses, cognitive deterioration becomes more evident. Tests designed to detect cognitive impairment are therefore needed.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to assess the cognitive status of a population of patients with PD by means of the Mini Mental Parkinson test (MMP).


METHODS
In 110 patients with idiopathic PD, with a mean age of 66.4 +/- 10.2 years and an average history of 8.8 +/- 5.8 years of the disease, the mean severity of the disease as measured by the unified PD rating scale (UPDRS-III) was 26.2 +/- 12.9.


RESULTS
There were 20 (18.2%) subjects with dementia according to DSM-IV criteria, with a score of 20.4 +/- 6.4 on the MMP. Of the 90 patients who did not have dementia, 47 cases displayed cognitive impairment, without the presence of disorders affecting their activities of daily living, who scored 25.3 +/- 4.7 points on the MMP, and 43 cases did not show any kind of cognitive impairment, with 28.0 +/- 3.3 points on the MMP; these differences were statistically significant p < 0.001. Results according to age brackets showed a decrease in MMP with age and more especially so concerning memory functioning. As to severity, there is a cognitive decline, in particular with regard to memory, orientation and abstraction.


CONCLUSIONS
Cognitive capacity is seen to decline with age and the severity of the disease.
Parrao-Díaz
T
T
Centro de Trastornos del Movimiento (CETRAM), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Chaná-Cuevas
P
P
Juri-Claverías
C
C
Kunstmann
C
C
Tapia-Núñez
J
J
D000368:Aged; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008297:Male; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000150:complications*