AUTHOR=Nicoletti Alessandra , Luca Antonina , Baschi Roberta , Cicero Calogero Edoardo , Mostile Giovanni , Davì Marco , Pilati Laura , Restivo Vincenzo , Zappia Mario , Monastero Roberto 

TITLE=Incidence of Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia in Parkinson’s Disease: The Parkinson’s Disease Cognitive Impairment Study

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2019

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/aging-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2019.00021

DOI=10.3389/fnagi.2019.00021

ISSN=1663-4365

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Background:</bold> Cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease (PD) includes a spectrum varying from Mild Cognitive Impairment (PD-MCI) to PD Dementia (PDD). The main aim of the present study is to evaluate the incidence of PD-MCI, its rate of progression to dementia, and to identify demographic and clinical characteristics which predict cognitive impairment in PD patients.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> PD patients from a large hospital-based cohort who underwent at least two comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations were retrospectively enrolled in the study. PD-MCI and PDD were diagnosed according to the Movement Disorder Society criteria. Incidence rates of PD-MCI and PDD were estimated. Clinical and demographic factors predicting PD-MCI and dementia were evaluated using Cox proportional hazard model.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> Out of 139 enrolled PD patients, 84 were classified with normal cognition (PD-NC), while 55 (39.6%) fulfilled the diagnosis of PD-MCI at baseline. At follow-up (mean follow-up 23.5 ± 10.3 months) 28 (33.3%) of the 84 PD-NC at baseline developed MCI and 4 (4.8%) converted to PDD. The incidence rate of PD-MCI was 184.0/1000 pyar (95% CI 124.7–262.3). At multivariate analysis a negative association between education and MCI development at follow-up was observed (HR 0.37, 95% CI 0.15–0.89; <italic>p</italic> = 0.03). The incidence rate of dementia was 24.3/1000 pyar (95% CI 7.7–58.5). Out of 55 PD-MCI patients at baseline, 14 (25.4%) converted to PDD, giving an incidence rate of 123.5/1000 pyar (95% CI 70.3–202.2). A five time increased risk of PDD was found in PD patients with MCI at baseline (RR 5.09, 95% CI 1.60–21.4).</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> Our study supports the relevant role of PD-MCI in predicting PDD and underlines the importance of education in reducing the risk of cognitive impairment.</p>