Hoehn and Yahr staging of Parkinson's disease in relation to neuropsychological measures

Front Biosci (Landmark Ed). 2018 Mar 1;23(7):1370-1379. doi: 10.2741/4649.

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is primarily considered to be a progressive degenerative motor disease associated with the degeneration of striatal dopamine neurons. However, increasing evidence has suggested progressive cognitive and psychiatric changes as well. Forty-six patients with PD, ranging in severity from Hoehn and Yahr (H-Y) score of 1:4, were recruited from a clinic specializing in PD. Various cognitive and neuropsychological measures were used to discover if there were indeed differences due to the progression of PD. As H-Y stage significantly increased, so did age and levodopa equivalency dose of medications, both independent of one another. Years of education had a significant negative relationship with H-Y score. Measures of general cognition divulged a significant decrease as H-Y score increased. Finally, as H-Y score increased, magical ideation decreased, and religious group social support increased. Mechanistically, the significant cognitive decline occurring with H-Y staging may be linked to a reduced dopaminergic function. Significant cognitive and neuropsychological changes are associated with the progression of PD and its possible relationship to Reward Deficiency Syndrome (RDS).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Antiparkinson Agents / therapeutic use
  • Cognition / physiology*
  • Disease Progression
  • Educational Status
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Levodopa / therapeutic use
  • Linear Models
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neuropsychological Tests / statistics & numerical data*
  • Parkinson Disease / drug therapy
  • Parkinson Disease / physiopathology*
  • Parkinson Disease / psychology*

Substances

  • Antiparkinson Agents
  • Levodopa