Impact of dopamine deficiency and REM sleep behavior disorder on cognition in early neuronal synuclein disease with hyposmia
Author Information
Author(s): Daniel Weintraub, Anuprita Nair, Ryan Kurth, Michael C. Brumm, Michele K. York, Roseanne Dobkin, Kenneth Marek, Caroline Tanner, Tanya Simuni, Andew Siderowf, Douglas Galasko, Lana M. Chahine, Christopher Coffey, Kalpana Merchant, Kathleen L. Poston, Tatiana Foroud, Brit Mollenhauer, Ethan G. Brown, Karl Kieburtz, Mark Frasier, Todd Sherer, Sohini Chowdhury, Roy N. Alcalay, Alexandar Videnovic
Primary Institution: University of Pennsylvania
Hypothesis
Persons with early-stage NSD and hyposmia would have worse cognitive performance compared with HCs, and that both co-morbid iRBD and dopaminergic neuronal dysfunction would increase the severity of cognitive deficits.
Conclusion
Early NSD with hyposmia is associated with measurable cognitive deficits compared with robust HCs, particularly in the presence of dopamine system impairment or comorbid iRBD.
Supporting Evidence
- Participants with Stage 2B had statistically worse cognitive performance compared to healthy controls.
- Presence of comorbid iRBD was associated with significantly worse cognition in Stage 2A participants.
- Stage 2B participants with hyposmia alone demonstrated significant cognitive deficits.
Takeaway
This study found that people with early signs of a brain disease called synuclein disease, especially those with a smell problem and sleep issues, have more trouble thinking than healthy people.
Methodology
Cognitive performance was assessed using a cognitive summary score (CSS) based on baseline data from the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative, comparing participants with hyposmia classified as NSD-ISS Stage 2 to healthy controls.
Limitations
Not having an adequate sample size of iRBD participants without hyposmia as a comparator group and only having a dichotomous outcome for SAA status.
Participant Demographics
60-65% of participants were male; HCs were significantly younger than Stage 2 participants.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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