Relationship between Cognitive Performance and Motor Dysfunction in Patients with Parkinson's Disease: A Pilot Cross-Sectional Study.
The aim of this pilot cross-sectional study was to extensively investigate the relationships between cognitive performance and motor dysfunction involving balance and gait ability in patients with Parkinson's disease. Twenty subjects with Parkinson's disease underwent a cognitive (outcomes: Frontal Assessment Battery-Italian version, Montreal overall Cognitive Assessment, Trail Making Test, Semantic Verbal Fluency Test, and Memory with Interference Test) and motor (outcomes: Berg Balance Scale, 10-Meter Walking Test, 6-Minute Walking Test, Timed Up and Go Test performed also under dual task condition, and Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale) assessment. Our correlation analyses showed that balance skills are significantly correlated with executive functions, cognitive impairment, and ability to switch attention between two tasks. Furthermore, functional mobility showed a significant correlation with cognitive impairment, verbal fluency, and ability to switch attention between two tasks. In addition, the functional mobility evaluated under the dual task condition showed a significant correlation with cognitive impairment and ability to switch attention between two tasks. These findings might help early identification of cognitive deficits or motor dysfunctions in patients with Parkinson's disease who may benefit from rehabilitative strategies. Future prospective larger-scale studies are needed to strengthen our results.
Neuromotor and Cognitive Rehabilitation Research Center, Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy.
Valentina
V
Varalta
Neuromotor and Cognitive Rehabilitation Research Center, Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy.
Alessandro
0000-0002-3558-8276
A
Picelli
Neuromotor and Cognitive Rehabilitation Research Center, Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy.
Cristina
C
Fonte
Neuromotor and Cognitive Rehabilitation Research Center, Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy.
Stefania
S
Amato
Neuromotor and Cognitive Rehabilitation Research Center, Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy.
Camilla
C
Melotti
Neuromotor and Cognitive Rehabilitation Research Center, Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy.
Vanja
V
Zatezalo
Department of Neurology, Hochzirl Hospital, 6170 Zirl, Austria ; Research Unit for Neurorehabilitation South Tyrol, 39100 Bolzano, Italy.
Leopold
L
Saltuari
Neuromotor and Cognitive Rehabilitation Research Center, Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy ; Neurorehabilitation Unit, Hospital Trust of Verona, 37126 Verona, Italy.
Nicola
N
Smania
D000368:Aged; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*