Cognitive Symptoms Common Soon After Parkinson’s Diagnosis

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is thought of primarily as a disease affecting muscle function and motor control. However, an estimated 20 percent to 50 percent of individuals with PD experience some degree of cognitive impairment. In a study published recently in Neurology Clinical Practice, researchers found that cognitive changes may start to occur quite soon after diagnosis. In a survey of nearly 25,000 individuals with PD, about one-third reported at least one cognitive symptom at the time of diagnosis or soon afterward. Most complaints involved problems with memory, language and word finding, or concentration and attention. It’s not always clear who will develop cognitive problems associated with PD or what timeline cognitive changes might follow. While not everyone who develops PD goes on to have dementia, some changes in thinking skills and memory are common.The researchers also noted that a sizable number of respondents reported subjective cognitive concerns (those that didn’t meet the standard clinical criteria for cognitive impairment, but seemed problematic to the individuals with PD). Subjective cognitive concerns often corresponded to diagnosable cognitive impairment later on, the researchers found.

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