Session Information
Date: Thursday, June 8, 2017
Session Title: Dystonia
Session Time: 1:15pm-2:45pm
Location: Exhibit Hall C
Objective: To study cognitive function in people with dystonia chronically treated with Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS).
Background: The impact of DBS on cognition is a matter of debate. While short follow-up studies have found no significant cognitive changes following DBS for dystonia, the effects of longer stimulation periods remain unknown.
Methods: A telephone survey based on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (the T-MoCA) was administered to people with dystonia who underwent DBS surgery at least 5 years before study onset. In addition, we analyzed scores from a self-administered survey comparing current day and pre-surgical cognitive function, the 39-item Measurement of Every Day Cognition (Ecog-39). Results were analyzed using a Pearson’s correlation.
Results: 19 people with dystonia treated with DBS (18 GPi, 1 STN) for an average of 10 years (range 5-15 years) completed both T-MoCA and Ecog-39. Average age was 37.5±17.6 years, 9 were female, 14 were DYT1, 1 DYT6, 3 other primary dystonias and 1 secondary dystonia. Average T-MoCA was 20.1±1.9 out of a maximum score of 22 (range 15-22). Only 3 subjects (15.7%) had scores in the impaired range (18 or less), none of which were younger than 30. There was no statistical correlation between age and T-MoCA (r=-0.33, p=0.17). Average overall Ecog-39 score was 1.23±0.32 (range 1.0-2.07). Two subjects (10.5%) scored in the range of concern for impaired cognition (<1.81). There was no statistical correlation between age and Ecog-39 (r=0.05, p=0.87) and between years since DBS surgery and T-MoCA or Ecog score (r=0.08 and r=0.09).
Conclusions: Our results show that cognitive function is preserved in subjects with dystonia treated with DBS for an average of 10 years. Very few subjects reported cognitive concerns. The study was underpowered to show a correlation between age or time from DBS and cognitive scores. Further limitations were the small sample size, self-reporting methodology, and lack of pre-surgical comparison data.
Acknowledgments: this study was funded by a DMRF clinical fellowship.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
E. Hogg, J. Eskenazi, E. During, J. Wertheimer, R. Alterman, M. Tagliati. Cognitive Function is Preserved 10 Years Following DBS in People with Dystonia [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2017; 32 (suppl 2). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/cognitive-function-is-preserved-10-years-following-dbs-in-people-with-dystonia/. Accessed June 15, 2025.« Back to 2017 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/cognitive-function-is-preserved-10-years-following-dbs-in-people-with-dystonia/