Objective: This research aimed to study the specific changes in cognitive event related potentials (ERP) in patients with different non-motor subtypes of Parkinson’s disease (PD).

Background: Non-motor dysfunctions accompany all stages of PD and are important factors that affect the quality of life of the patient. Understanding of neurological mechanisms of different non-motor phenotypes can be used for development of precision treatment for PD.

Method: The oddball paradigm was used to record the cognitive ERP in 146 patients with PD (age 45-75 years, Hoehn-Yahr 2.5-3.0). Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) and Non-motor Symptoms Scale (NMSS) were used to evaluate motor and non-motor symptoms of PD. K-mean clustering were performed to group symptoms together. ERP source localization was carried out using Low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA).

Results: Four clusters were identified by different combinations of patient’s age, age at onset, UPDRS and NMSS subscales score. Two clusters (A1, A2) had minor non-motor symptoms and two clusters had significant non-motor dysfunctions: B1 (Perceptual problems/hallucinations, Attention/memory, Gastrointestinal tract, Urinary, Sexual function) and B2 (Sleep/fatigue, Mood/cognition, Gastrointestinal tract, Sexual function). Patients from cluster B2 had significantly lower age (56±1.5 years) and age of onset (48±1.7years) compared to other groups. A latency of ERP component P3 was significantly higher in both B1 (448 [396; 482] ms) and B2 (460 [400; 518] ms) clusters compared to other groups without non-motor changes. Patients of cluster B2 also had an increased latency of the N2 component (326 [292; 364] ms) and reduced P3 amplitude (5.5 [2.4; 8.7] mkV, central areas). For B2 cluster only, we found a decreased differences in the P3s to target or no-go stimuli. LORETA analysis reveals missed activation of midcingulate sources of P3-N2 complex.

Conclusion: For both non-motor phenotypes in PD an increased latency of cognitive ERP was observed. A decreasing of cognitive ERP amplitude and midcingulate sources activity was a specific biomarker of patients with an early onset of PD and high scores of the sleep, mood, cognitive and gastrointestinal tract dysfunctions.

« Back to 2019 International Congress

MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/cognitive-event-related-potentials-as-biomarker-of-non-motor-phenotypes-in-parkinsons-disease/