Objective: To evaluate the psychometric properties of Language, Memory, and Visuospatial Function tests in Parkinson’s Disease (PD) on behalf of the Movement Disorder Society (MDS) Clinical Outcome Assessment Scientific Evaluation Committee.

Background: Mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease (PD-MCI) is common even in the early stages of PD. Moreover, dementia (PD-D) eventuates in the majority of patients, especially with increasing age and in advanced PD. Standardised neuropsychological assessment is required to establish PD-MCI and confirm PD-D. However, a profound analysis of reliability, validity and detection potential across the multitude of test options has yet to be established from the perspective of MDS criteria.

Method: We performed a systematic literature review of tests assessing Language, Memory, and Visuospatial functions (a review of tests on Attention/Working memory and Executive domains in PD is included in an accompanying review). The MDS panel of experts according to the MDS Clinical Outcome Assessment Scientific Evaluation Committee guidelines rated the tests as “recommended,” “recommended with caveats,” “suggested,” or “listed” as based on a rigorous review of their psychometric properties and utility. We examined 35 tests encompassing 46 outcome measures.

Results: Recommended were 11 tests, 5 for Language (Boston Naming Test and its 3 versions, National Adult Reading Test, and Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test); 4 for Memory (Rey’s-, California-, Philadelphia-, and Hopkins Verbal Learning Tests), and 2 for Visuospatial domains (WAIS-IV Matrices and Block Design). These tests showed good to excellent levels of reliability, validity, and diagnostic accuracy including clinimetric limitations and available normative datasets. The resting 9 tests were “recommended with caveats”, 10 “suggested”, and 16 “listed”.

Conclusion: The aforementioned tests were recommended for Language, Memory, and Visuospatial functions assessment for the detection of cognitive impairment in PD (PD-MCI or PDD). Those recommended with “caveats” or “suggested” may be applicable, but clinicians should be cautious due to psychometric and other limitations.

« Back to 2024 International Congress

MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/neuropsychological-tests-of-language-memory-and-visuospatial-function-in-parkinsons-disease-review-critique-and-recommendations/