title: Cardiac sympathetic denervation and its association with cognitive deficits in Parkinson's disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is growing evidence to suggest that cognitive decline in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) is associated with autonomic involvement, although the clinical and pathological correlations have not been firmly established.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We prospectively investigated the pattern of myocardial sympathetic denervation deficits in PD and its correlation with cognitive decline.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-eight patients with PD who underwent myocardial (123)I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scintigraphy, clinical assessment of stage and severity of PD and detailed neuropsychological investigation were included in the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significant differences in the MIBG uptake between the PD patients with cognitive deficits and those who did not have cognitive deficits.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings confirm that cognitive decline in patients with PD is associated with autonomic involvement and raises the possibility that the topographical spread of synuclein pathology involving the neocortical areas might be linked to the autonomic system in PD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, Seoul 137-701, South Korea. neuronet@catholic.ac.kr
authors.forename: Joong-Seok
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yong-Soo
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.forename: In-Uk
authors.initials: IU
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Ji-Yeon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Hee-Tae
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yeong-In
authors.initials: YI
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kwang-Soo
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000294:innervation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009121:Muscle Denervation; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*