Structural Brain Correlations of Visuospatial and Visuoperceptual Tests in Parkinson’s Disease

Abstract

Background: Diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease (PD) is relevant because it is a marker for evolution to dementia. However, the selection of suitable tests to evaluate separate cognitive domains in mild cognitive impairment related to PD remains an open question. The current work aims to investigate the neuroanatomical correlates of several visuospatial/visuoperceptual tests using the same sample and a multimodal MRI approach. Methods: The study included 36 PD patients and 20 healthy subjects matched for age, sex, and education. The visuospatial/visuoperceptual tests selected were: Pentagon Copying Test (PCT), Judgment of Line Orientation Test (JLOT), Visual Form Discrimination Test (VFDT), Facial Recognition Test (FRT), Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SMDT), and clock copying task (CLOX2). FreeSurfer was used to assess cortical thickness, and tract-based spatial statistics was used for fractional anisotropy analysis. Results: Lower performance in the PCT, JLOT, and SDMT was associated with extensive cortical thickness reductions in lateral parietal and temporal regions. VFDT and CLOX2 did not show this common pattern and correlated with more limited medial occipito-temporal and occipito-parietal regions. Performance in all visuospatial/visuoperceptual tests correlated with fractional anisotropy in the corpus callosum. Conclusions: Our findings show that JLOT, SDMT, and PCT, in addition to differentiating patients from controls, are suitable visuospatial/visuoperceptual tests to reflect cortical thinning in lateral temporo-parietal regions in PD patients. We did not observe the dissociation between dorsal and ventral streams that was expected according to the neuropsychological classification of visuospatial and visuoperceptual tests. (JINS, 2018, 24, 33–44)

Cortical thinning correlates of changes in visuospatial and visuoperceptual performance in Parkinson's disease: A 4-year follow-up

“…In our previous cross-sectional studies, we demonstrated a relationship between visuospatial and visuoperceptual performance and cortical thickness in bilateral temporo-parietaloccipital areas, and widespread posterior-anterior white matter microstructure alterations [13,14]. Interestingly, in the present study, we have established a relationship between the progressive worsening in VS/VP performance and bilateral degeneration of posterior cortical regions.…”

“…Several cross-sectional structural MRI correlational studies have established a relationship between the degeneration of posterior brain regions and cognitive impairment [9e12]. Specifically, previous studies by our group showed that visuospatial and visuoperceptual (VS/VP) tests are suitable to reflect cortical thinning in lateral temporo-parietal regions in PD patients [13,14].…”

“…All participants underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment with VS/VP tests usually employed to evaluate the cognitive status of PD patients. The battery of tests chosen in this study is the same as that used in a previous cross-sectional study that addressed the neuroanatomical correlates of VS/VP deficits in PD [14].…”

Clock drawing and neuroanatomical correlates: A systematic review

“…Of the 45 publications, which met inclusion criteria, one article was a review but not a systematic review, which is not included in the table, 30 articles proposed discrete lesion locations in the brain related to the CDT summarized in Table and Figure 2 . Nine articles examined the degree of white matter burden related to CDT (Table ) .…”

Cortical atrophy patterns in early Parkinson's disease patients using hierarchical cluster analysis

“…Pattern 2 patients showed impaired performance in HVLT-R total learning, delayed recall, Symbol Digits Modalities Test, and MoCA. Impairment in total learning and delayed recall have been found to be good markers of future cognitive deterioration in PD [23], and the Symbol Digits Modalities Test is a suitable marker of cortical thinning in lateral temporo-parietal regions [24]. Posterior cortical-based neuropsychological deficits have been related to higher risk of evolution to dementia [25].…”