The pattern of cognitive-functional decline in elderly essential tremor patients: an exploratory-comparative study with Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease patients.
OBJECTIVE
Essential tremor (ET) is a neurological disorder that produces motor, cognitive, and functional disability. However, there has been no investigation linking cognitive impairment with functional disability in ET. Therefore, we examine the similarities and differences between ET, Alzheimer's disease (AD), and Parkinson's disease (PD) in terms of the linkage between cognitive and functional impairment.


METHODS
Thirty-four ET, 26 PD, and 31 AD subjects were tested for cognition (Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE]), motor disability (United Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale part III [UPDRS-III]), and functional disability (Minimum Data Set-Activities of Daily Living Section [MDS-ADL]).


RESULTS
As expected, in PD and AD subjects, MDS-ADL scores significantly correlated with UPDRS-III and MMSE scores. The ET subjects showed a different pattern of functional disability with MDS-ADL scores significantly correlating only with MMSE scores, and with the orientation MMSE modalities.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings highlight the need to be more cognizant of the nonmotor aspects of ET, which in some patients may be more functionally disabling than the motor features themselves.
The Jewish Home and Hospital LifeCare System, New York, NY, USA. pfrisina@kessler-rehab.com
Pasquale G
PG
Frisina
Winona
W
Tse
Thomas D
TD
Hälbig
Leslie S
LS
Libow
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D020329:Essential Tremor / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*