Objective: To investigate the relationship between times spent with cognitively stimulating activities and cognitive functions in Parkinson’s disease (PD) while accounting for the degree of primary neurodegenerations.

Background: There is accumulating evidence that frequent participations in cognitively stimulating activities are beneficial to brain health among subjects at risk of dementia. No prior studies have investigated similar associations in PD.

Methods: PD patients [N=48 (40M); 69.4±7.4 years old; 8.4±4.2 years motor disease duration and mean MMSE score 28.4 ± 1.9 underwent [C-11]DTBZ PET imaging to assess nigrostriatal denervation, and completed the CHAMPS questionnaire and neuropsychological testing. CHAMPS questions 1-6, 8, 11-13 & 17-18 were summed, which include activities such volunteering, visiting friends, computer use, crafts, attending a concert, reading, playing cards or a musical instrument. [C-11]PMP cholinergic PET was also performed in 42 patients.

Results: Mean duration of participation in cognitively stimulating activities was 23.2±12.5 (range 6-44 hr), including computer use (4.4±2.4, range 0-6 hr). Bivariate correlations between global cognitive z-score and duration of cognitive hobbies and computer were R=0.50, P=0.0005 and R=0.52, P=0.0002, respectively. Multiple regression analysis using the global cognitive function z-score as outcome variable demonstrated significant regressor effect for duration of weekly participation in cognitive stimulating activities (F=12.2, P=0.0013) while accounting for effects of caudate nucleus dopaminergic (F=0.25, ns), cortical cholinergic activity (F=0.74, ns), education (F=1.43, ns), age (F=4.7, P=0.036) and duration of disease (F=0.02, ns; total model: F=4.15, P=0.003). Post-hoc analysis limited to duration of weekly computer use showed similar regression with higher cognitive scores (F=14.1, P=0.0006; total model: F=4.60, P=0.0015).

Conclusions: Engagement in cognitive activities, including computer use, is associated with better cognitive abilities in PD independent from nigrostriatal dopaminergic and cortical cholinergic degenerations. Findings may imply that participation in cognitively stimulating activities may help to promote cognitive preservation in PD.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/participation-in-cognitively-stimulating-activities-and-computer-use-are-associated-with-better-cognitive-performance-in-parkinsons-disease-independent-from-nigrostriatal-dopaminergic-and-cortical-ch/