Associations between cognitive screening performance and motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease:a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Although the most prominent symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) are those impacting movement, cognitive dysfunction is prevalent and often presents early in the disease process. Individuals with cognitive symptoms of PD often complete cognitive screening, making it important to identify factors associated with cognitive screening performance to ensure prompt and accurate detection of cognitive impairments.

Objective: Despite a body of research examining relationships between motor symptoms and cognitive dysfunction in PD, no prior study has undertaken a systematic review of the magnitude of the relationship between motor symptoms and cognitive screening performance in PD.

Methods: This study was a systematic review and meta-analysis of the relationship between cognitive screening performance, as assessed by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and motor symptoms of PD. After the systematic screening, 20 studies were included, and meta-regressions using mixed-effects models were conducted.

Results: Motor symptoms across included studies were relatively mild, but average MoCA scores were at the established cutoff for risk of dementia in PD. The average disease duration was 5 years. Consistent with hypotheses, more severe motor symptoms were associated with lower MoCA scores (r=-0.22 (95%CI -0.29 to -0.16), p<0.001), indicating worse cognitive functioning.

Conclusion: The results indicate a significant negative correlation between MoCA performance and motor symptoms of PD. Average MoCA scores captured early disease-stage cognitive impairment when motor symptoms remained relatively mild. Serial screening for cognitive impairment beginning early in the disease course may be of benefit to ensure that cognitive dysfunction is detected as it arises.