Objective: To determine if chronotype impacts the expression of dementia and/or depression in Veterans with Parkinson’s disease (PD).

Background: Chronotype reflects the periodicity of biological rhythms and may have important implications with respect to clinical expression of cognitive performance and mood especially in neurodegenerative diseases like PD that are known to be associated with significant circadian rhythm disruption.

Method: 100 consecutive Veterans with PD were questioned using the Horne and Ostberg’s Morningness and Eveningness scale. Presence of depression and cognitive impairment was assessed using Zung Self Rating Depression Scale (ZDS), and Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS- Part I- Intellectual Impairment) respectively.  Motor disease severity was assessed using Hoehn and Yahr scale (H&Y).

Results: 60% (60/100) of the subjects were found to be Morning Type (M) [Definitive (M++) = 12, Moderate (M+) =48], 39% (39/100) were Neither Type (N) and 1% (1/100) was Moderately Evening Type (E). Subject characteristics: M++ [Men- 100%, White- 91.6%, mean age 71.7 (54-90)]; M+[Men-98%, White 85%, mean age 72.6 (45-94)]; N- [Men-95%, White- 82%, Mean age 71.8 (49-89)]; E- [Man, White, age 76] Mean H&Y scores: 2.3, 2.77, 2.77 and 2.5 for M++, M+, N and E types respectively. Intellectual impairment (UPDRS): M++ [None (25%), Mild (75%) mean = 0.75], M+ [None (16.6%) Mild (64.5%) Moderate (14.6%), Severe (4%) mean = 1.06], N [None (20.5%), Mild (53.8%), Moderate (18%), Severe (7.7%); mean=1.13], E [Mild (100%) = 1].
Depression (ZDS = or > 50): M++ [0% (0/12)] M+ [8.3% (4/48)], N [23% (9/39)], E [0% (0/1)].

Conclusion: Morning Type (M) appears to be the predominant chronotype in Veterans with Parkinson’s disease, followed by the Neither (N) type. Cognition and mood appear to be best preserved in those who identify as Definitively Morning Chronotypes (M++). This observation requires further exploration.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/chronotype-and-cognition-in-veterans-with-parkinsons-disease/