title: Sensitive measures of executive dysfunction in non-demented Parkinson's disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We examined the sensitivity of different executive function measures for detecting deficits in Parkinson's disease patients without dementia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one non-demented PD subjects and 21 neurologically healthy controls were administered widely used clinical executive functioning measures as well as the NIH EXAMINER battery, which produces Cognitive Control, Working Memory, and Verbal Fluency scores, along with an overall Executive Composite score, using psychometrically matched scales.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant differences between groups were observed on widely used clinical measures. The PD patients scored lower than controls on the EXAMINER Executive Composite, Cognitive Control, and Working Memory Scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The NIH EXAMINER Executive Composite and Cognitive Control Scores are sensitive measures of executive dysfunction in non-demented PD, and may be more sensitive than several widely used measures. Results highlight the importance of careful test selection when evaluating for mild cognitive impairment in PD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, USA. Electronic address: nbott@stanford.edu.
authors.forename: Nicholas T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Bott
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, USA.
authors.forename: Erica T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, USA; Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schuff
authors.affiliation: Parkinson's Disease Research, Education, and Clinical Center, San Francisco Veteran's Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, USA.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Galifianakis
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, USA.
authors.forename: Trishna
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Subas
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, USA; Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pollock
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, USA.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pressman
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, USA.
authors.forename: Joel H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kramer
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, USA.
authors.forename: Katherine L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Possin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000150:complications*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014705:Verbal Behavior / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Cognitive control; Executive function; Mild cognitive impairment; Parkinson's disease; Working memory