Objective: To establish the delimitation norm of comprehensive cognitive assessment scales for Parkinson’s disease (PD) and its optimal cut-off value in the Beijing population, and to explore the impact of the Apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene on PD patients’ cognitive function.

Background: Cognitive impairment is a common non-motor symptom of PD, but there is a lack of widely accepted and sensitive cognitive assessment scales. Genetic factors are involved in PD-related cognitive impairment; APOE is linked to Alzheimer’s disease pathology, while its specific role in PD-related cognitive impairment remains controversial.

Method: From March 2021 to July 2023, 89 PD-non dementia (PD-ND) patients from Xuanwu Hospital were divided into non-cognitive impairment (PD-NC) and mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI) groups. Thirty-three age-, gender- and education-matched healthy controls (HC) were enrolled from Beijing communities. Basic demographics, neuropsychological assessments and APOE gene testing were performed. HC’s neuropsychological scores were analyzed to establish the PD cognitive scale norm and optimal cut-off value. APOE genotype distribution and its correlation with PD-ND cognitive performance (adjusted for confounders) were analyzed via linear regression.

Results: The delimitation norm of PD comprehensive cognitive scales for the Beijing population was established; the 1.96 standard deviation (SD) cut-off value was optimal for defining neuropsychological impairment, with the best sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, Kappa value and positive predictive value [Table 1] [Figure 1]. No significant difference in APOE genotype distribution was found between HC and PD groups [Figure 2]. After adjusting for confounders, the APOE ε4 allele was only significantly associated with TMT-B time scores (executive function indicator).

Conclusion: This study established the PD comprehensive cognitive scale norm and confirmed 1.96 SD as the optimal cut-off value in the Beijing population. Although APOE gene polymorphism distribution did not differ between PD-ND and HC groups, PD-ND patients carrying APOE ε4 were more prone to early executive dysfunction.

Table 1

Figure 1

Figure 2

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/comprehensive-cognitive-assessment-scales-and-apoe-gene-impact-on-cognitive-function-in-parkinsons-disease-a-beijing-population-study/