Objective: To investigate whether a computerized neuropsychological assessment can detect subtle cognitive impairment associated with Aβ pathology in Parkinson’s disease (PD).

Background: Parenchymal Aβ pathology is relatively common among older adults and PD patients, and may influence progression of cognitive dysfunction. Computerized assessment has been reported to be sensitive for the quantification of cognitive impairment. The Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) was able to reflect cognitive impairment associated to Aβ pathology in Alzheimer’s disease. In PD, the association between computerized cognitive performance (CANTAB) and Aβ pathology is unknown.

Method: Hundred (100) non-demented PD patients enrolled in the “Aß1-42 in CSF as risk factor for Cognitive dysfunction in PD” (ABC-PD) longitudinal study, stratified according to CSF Aß1-42 (<600 [Aβ+] vs. ≥600 [Aβ-] pg/ml) values, were included. Fifty patient pairs were matched for age, sex and education; disease duration was controlled as best as possible between groups. In total, six CANTAB subtests were conducted (e.g. Paired Associates Learning PAL) testing the following four cognitive domains: memory, attention, executive function and information sampling. Additionally, a paper-pencil test, the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) was performed. Binary logistic regression analyses were calculated for between-group comparisons correcting for confounders.

Results: Aβ+ PD patients had shorter disease durations and lower levodopa equivalent daily doses compared to Aβ- PD patients, included as confounders into further analysis. Age, education, motor function, and severity of depression did not differ significantly between groups. Aβ+ PD patients performed worse than Aβ- PD patients on the MTS (Match to Sample Visual Search, a test of attention and psychomotor speed, p=.012), and better on the SOC (Stockings of Cambridge, a test of executive functioning, p=.014). CANTAB tests for memory function and the RBANS total and domain scores did not statistical differ between groups.

Conclusion: Our study further supports the idea that Aβ1-42 pathology plays a role in cognitive impairment in PD and might characterize a specific clinical phenotype. Computerized neuropsychological assessment seems to be more sensitive for detecting early cognitive dysfunction than paper-pencil tests in PD.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/computerized-cognitive-test-profile-of-100-patients-with-and-without-amyloid-beta-1-42-burden/