Motor asymmetry and substantia nigra volume are related to spatial delayed response performance in Parkinson disease.

Full Abstract

Studies suggest motor deficit asymmetry may help predict the pattern of cognitive impairment in individuals with Parkinson disease (PD). We tested this hypothesis using a highly validated and sensitive spatial memory task, spatial delayed response (SDR), and clinical and neuroimaging measures of PD asymmetry. We predicted SDR performance would be more impaired by PD-related changes in the right side of the brain than in the left. PD (n=35) and control (n=28) participants performed the SDR task. PD participants either had worse motor deficits on the right (RPD) or left (LPD) side of the body. Some participants also had magnetic resonance imaging for measurement of their substantia nigra (SN) volumes. The LPD group performed worse on the SDR task than the RPD and control groups. Right SN volume accounted for a unique and significant portion of the variance in SDR error, with smaller volume predicting poorer performance. In conclusion, left motor dysfunction and smaller right SN volume are associated with poorer spatial memory.

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Author information

Author/s: Foster, Erin R (ER); Black, Kevin J (KJ); Antenor-Dorsey, Jo Ann V (JA); Perlmutter, Joel S (JS); Hershey, Tamara (T);

Affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article; Randomized Controlled Trial

Journal: Brain and cognition (Brain Cogn), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2008-Jun; vol 67 (issue 1) : pp 1-10

Dates: Created 2008/05/26; Completed 2008/08/13;

PMID: 18022303, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Male
Memory Disorders - etiology; pathology
Memory, Short-Term
Middle Aged
Organ Size
Parkinson Disease - complications
Substantia Nigra - pathology

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