Session Information
Date: Wednesday, June 22, 2016
Session Title: Parkinson's disease: Cognition
Session Time: 12:00pm-1:30pm
Location: Exhibit Hall located in Hall B, Level 2
Objective: We examined the effects of dopaminergic medication adjustment on cognitive function in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients without apparent dementia (Mini-Mental State Examination score of above 24).
Background: The effects of dopaminergic medication on motor function in PD patients are known, but those on cognitive function in PD are uncertain.
Methods: For 29 drug-naive PD patients (de novo group), single use or a combination of dopaminergic drugs (levodopa, dopamine agonist, selegiline) was administered and the drug dose was increased to secure improvement in motor symptoms. For 16 patients on chronic dopaminergic medication (progressed group), dopaminergic medication was adjusted (including change in drug and/or dose) to relieve clinical problems such as motor fluctuation and hallucination. Patients in both groups were tested prior to and after 4-7 months from drug initiation or adjustment. Motor function was assessed using the Unified Parkinson’s disease Rating Scale (UPDRS; total motor score of part III and subscores of tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia, gait and postural instability). Cognitive function was assessed using the Japanese version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-J: total score and subscores of delayed recall, attention, visuospatial function, executive function, language and orientation). Assessments after taking dopaminergic drugs were performed during on-medication state. Score improvements from baseline for both motor and cognitive assessments were compared.
Results: In both groups, score improvement in gait showed significant positive correlation with language score improvement.
Conclusions: Gait and language function improvement correlate during dopaminergic medication management, regardless of clinical stage. These functions may share a common dopaminergic pathophysiology.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
H. Murakami, A. Futamura, T. Kuroda, S. Ishigaki, M. Kezuka, K. Ono, M. Kawamura. Dopaminergic drug management in Parkinson’s disease: Gait and language function show correlation during treatment [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2016; 31 (suppl 2). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/dopaminergic-drug-management-in-parkinsons-disease-gait-and-language-function-show-correlation-during-treatment/. Accessed October 4, 2026.« Back to 2016 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/dopaminergic-drug-management-in-parkinsons-disease-gait-and-language-function-show-correlation-during-treatment/