Relationship between cognitive performance and mobility in patients with Parkinson’s disease: A cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT Gait disorders may be associated with cognitive impairment, and slow speed predicts cognitive impairment and dementia. Objective: To investigate the relationships between cognitive function and gait performance in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) who attended a hospital neurorehabilitation program. Methods: Descriptive and inferential statistics (Pearson’s correlation) were used for data analysis. The cognitive functions were evaluated through Digit Span, Mental Control, Trail Making Test, Phonemic Verbal Fluency Task, and Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination III. The motor function was assessed through 10-meter walk test, Mini BESTest and Timed Up and Go Test. Results: A total of 65 patients were included in this study. Of these, 66.15% were males, mean age was 61.14 (8.39) years, mean educational was 12 (8) years, disease progression time was 5.45 (4.37) years. 64.61% were in stages I and II of the Hoehn and Yahr stage. The correlation analyses showed that balance skills are significantly correlated with the ability to switch attention between two tasks and visuospatial function. The function mobility showed a significant correlation with cognitive tests. Conclusion: Data suggest the importance of the aspects of switch attention and mental flexibility in gait, evidencing the greater difficulty for double tasks.

摘要
步态障碍可能与认知功能损害相关，而步行速度缓慢可预测认知损害及痴呆的发生。
目的：探讨参与医院神经康复项目的帕金森病（Parkinson’s Disease, PD）患者的认知功能与步行表现之间的关联。
方法：本研究采用描述性与推断性统计方法（皮尔逊相关分析）进行数据分析。认知功能通过数字广度测验（Digit Span）、心理控制测验（Mental Control）、连线测验（Trail Making Test）、语音言语流畅性任务（Phonemic Verbal Fluency Task）以及爱丁堡认知评估量表第三版（Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination III）进行评估；运动功能则通过10米步行测试（10-meter walk test）、迷你平衡评估系统测试（Mini BESTest）以及计时起身行走测试（Timed Up and Go Test）进行评估。
结果：本研究共纳入65例帕金森病患者。其中男性占比66.15%，平均年龄为61.14（8.39）岁，平均受教育年限为12（8）年，病程为5.45（4.37）年；64.61%的患者处于霍恩-雅尔分期（Hoehn and Yahr stage）的I期与II期。相关分析结果显示，平衡能力与双任务注意力转换能力及视空间功能显著相关，移动功能与多项认知测验得分均存在显著相关性。
结论：本研究数据表明，注意力转换与心理灵活性在步行过程中的重要性，证实了患者在完成双任务时存在更大的困难。