Cognitive and behavioral assessment in the early stages of neurodegenerative extrapyramidal syndromes

• Published in: Archives of gerontology and geriatrics 2008-07, Vol.47 (1), p.53-61
• Main Authors: Borroni, B, Turla, M, Bertasi, V, Agosti, C, Gilberti, N, Padovani, A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Assessment; Basal Ganglia Diseases - complications; Basal Ganglia Diseases - diagnosis; Basal Ganglia Diseases - epidemiology; Behavioral disturbances; Behavioral Symptoms - diagnosis; Behavioral Symptoms - epidemiology; Behavioral Symptoms - etiology; Behavioural aspects; Cognition Disorders - diagnosis; Cognition Disorders - epidemiology; Cognition Disorders - etiology; Cognitive aspects; Cognitive impairment; Corticobasal Degeneration Syndrome; Dementia with Lewy Bodies; Extrapyramidal syndrome; Female; Heredodegenerative Disorders, Nervous System - complications; Heredodegenerative Disorders, Nervous System - diagnosis; Heredodegenerative Disorders, Nervous System - epidemiology; Humans; Internal Medicine; Italy - epidemiology; Lewy body dementia; Male; Middle Aged; Morbidity; Neurodegenerative diseases; Parkinson disease; Parkinson's disease; Progressive Supranuclear Palsy; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Severity of Illness Index; Syndrome
• ISSN: 0167-4943; 1872-6976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.archger.2007.07.005

Abstract Parkinson's disease (PD), Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB), Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) and Corticobasal Degeneration Syndrome (CBDS) are the most common neurodegenerative extrapyramidal syndromes. Beyond motor symptoms, cognitive dysfunctions and behavioral disturbances are reported. Neuropsychological and neuropsychiatry features in the early stages, however, are under-investigated, and few comparison studies are available yet. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the cognitive and behavioral profile in the early stages of neurodegenerative extrapyramidal syndromes. Thirty-nine PD, 27 DLB, 16 CBDS, and 24 PSP were recruited. Groups were matched for global cognitive and motor impairment. The overall sample showed a common neuropsychological core characterized by visuospatial deficits. Although in the early stage of the disease, a high presence of behavioral disturbances was detected, depression and anxiety were the most common disorders, followed by apathy and sleep disturbances. The observation of overlapping clinical entities points the attention on the need of adjunctive diagnostic markers for early differential diagnosis.