Session Information
Date: Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Session Title: Cognition and Cognitive Disorders
Session Time: 1:15pm-2:45pm
Location: Agora 3 East, Level 3
Objective: We aimed to analyze if hypomimia was associated with mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson´s disease (PD-MCI) and if it predicted cognitive decline.
Background: Hypomimia is a common clinical feature in PD. However, severity differs among patients. Specific axial symptoms such as postural instability are considered a risk factor for cognitive impairment, yet, facial expression has not been investigated as a potential marker of cognitive decline in PD.
Method: Data of drug naïve PD patients from the PPMI were included in the study. Five hundred and fifty-two patients were included in the analysis and classified according facial expression score (MDS-UPDRS 3.1 item). Differences between clinical and neuropsychological characteristics among groups were analyzed. In order to assess the association between more severe hypomimia and cognitive diagnosis at baseline and after three years of follow up, we performed a logistic regression analysis adjusted for potential confounders.
Results: One hundred and sixteen patients (19.2%) scored 0; 305 (55.3%) patients scored 1; 129 (23.4%) scored 2, and 11 (2%) and 1 (0.02%) patients had a score of 3 and 4 respectively. Patients with a higher MDS-UPDRS 3.1 score were older (p=0.001) and scored higher in the MDS-UPDRS-III (p<0.0001). PD symptoms duration and depression score did not differ among groups. Frequency of PD-MCI diagnosis was significantly higher in patients with more severe hypomimia (p<0.0001). Scores on attention, verbal memory and MoCA tests were significantly worse in these patients. Lower score on the facial expression item was associated with the diagnosis of PD-MCI (p=0.01, OR=1.93), and predicted conversion to PD-MCI or dementia in the PD-CN group after three years (p=0.014, OR=1.84)
Conclusion: A higher degree of hypomimia in drug naïve PD might predict MCI in PD. These subjects should be monitored for the presence of cognitive impairment.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
C. Gasca-Salas, L. Vela, J. Obeso. Severe hypomimia in drug naïve Parkinson´s disease patients may predict mild cognitive impairment [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2019; 34 (suppl 2). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/severe-hypomimia-in-drug-naive-parkinsons-disease-patients-may-predict-mild-cognitive-impairment/. Accessed May 14, 2025.« Back to 2019 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/severe-hypomimia-in-drug-naive-parkinsons-disease-patients-may-predict-mild-cognitive-impairment/