Category: Parkinson's Disease: Cognitive functions
Objective: We aim to determine whether subjective cognitive complaints (SCC) may predict the development of cognitive impairment in Parkinson´s Disease (PD)
Background: Subjective cognitive complaints (SCC) are cognitive concerns frequently reported by PD patients. Increasing evidence suggests that SCC may be associated with a higher risk of future cognitive decline in PD. Nevertheless, the association between SCC and objective cognitive impairment has shown conflicting results.
Method: : Single-center, prospective, 4-year follow-up study of cognitively unimpaired PD patients at baseline. The patients were assessed at baseline with the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS), non-motor symptoms scale (NMSS), disability (Schawb and England [S&E]), motor symptoms (UPDRS III and Hoehn and Yahr [H&Y]). SCC was defined as a score ≥ 1 in non-motor symptoms scale (NMSS) domain 5. Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA) was used for cognitive assessment at baseline and follow-up. Cognitive impairment was defined as a score bellow cut-off for age and education. Logistic regression was used to test the correlation between the results of SCC (predictor) at baseline and the presence of cognitive impairment at follow-up (outcome), adjusting for baseline scores in MoCA, S&E, HY, UPDRS III and HADS (covariates). p<0.05 was considered significant.
Results: We included 41 cognitively unimpaired PD patients, off which 35 (85%) reported SCC at baseline. At 4-year follow-up, 17 (41.6%) were diagnosed with cognitive impairment (mild cognitive impairment or dementia) and 24 (58.4 %) remained cognitive unimpaired. At our study SCC were not associated with future cognitive decline.
Conclusion: Our findings did not support that SCC in cognitively unimpaired patients with PD acts as a predictor for future cognitive decline. Low predictive value could be associated with high prevalence of SCC at baseline.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
M. Magriço, B. Meira, M. Fernandes, M. Saraiva, M. Salavisa, C. Borbinha, J. Maro, F. Ladeira, R. Barbosa, P. Bugalho. Are Subjective Cognitive Complaints a predictor of future cognitive decline in Parkinson´s Disease? – A longitudinal study [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2022; 37 (suppl 2). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/are-subjective-cognitive-complaints-a-predictor-of-future-cognitive-decline-in-parkinsons-disease-a-longitudinal-study/. Accessed June 14, 2025.« Back to 2022 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/are-subjective-cognitive-complaints-a-predictor-of-future-cognitive-decline-in-parkinsons-disease-a-longitudinal-study/