Objective: To prospectively study the cognitive functions in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients treated with deep brain stimulation of subthalamic nucleus (STN DBS).

Background: STN DBS is a standard treatment for advanced PD. Numerous studies have shown alleviation of patients’ motor signs, while the effects on non-motor symptoms (cognition and mood) are reportedly varied. 

Methods: We studied cognitive effects of STN DBS in twelve patients (8 male: 59±7.5 years old, PD duration: 14.9±4.1 years, MMSE: 28±1.5) with advanced PD. Cognitive evaluations were performed at baseline and 6 and 12 months following STN DBS. The cognitive assessments included standard neuropsychological battery (RBANS), which provided basic measures of psychomotor speed, attention span, memory processing of verbal and visual material and visuospatial ability. Additionally, verbal fluency task, attentional (Stroop) and executive task (TOL), were administered. Mood was evaluated by means of a self-rating questionnaire (CAD). 

Results: Medians of each measure were compared with nonparametric Wilcoxon’s rank test. Results demonstrated no significant differences neither in observed cognitive domains nor in mood at 6 and 12 months post STN DBS. However, a significant decline of psychomotor speed one year after surgery was observed on RBANS Coding task. 

Conclusions: Our findings implicate stability of attention, memory processing, verbal fluency and executive functions during first year after STN DBS, which is in the line with some previous studies. Only mild decline in patient’s psychomotor speed at one task was observed. This leads into the conclusion that patients may be mentally slowed in some everyday mental tasks, as the disease progresses. Particularly important finding of this study is the stability of mood without increasing symptoms of anxiety or depression at least in the first year after surgery. This is also in the line with some previous findings, which showed improved early quality of life after DBS. Longer follow-up is needed for specific and long-term definition of changes in cognition, mood and behavior after STN DBS.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/stabile-cognitive-profile-one-year-after-subthalamic-nucleus-deep-brain-stimulation-in-patients-with-advanced-parkinsons-disease/