Patients with Cervical Dystonia Demonstrated Decreased Cognitive Abilities and Visual Planning Compared to Controls

Abstract

Background: Cervical dystonia (CD) involves clinical and motor manifestations, and visual and cognitive dysfunctions may also be frequent. Objective: To evaluate functional vision, visual attention, and cognitive aspects in patients with CD compared with a control group. Methods: Fifty patients with CD were assessed using the Useful Field of View Test (UFOV), the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), and the Trail Making Tests (TMT-A and TMT-B), and compared with an identical number of health controls matched by sex, age, and educational level. Results: No differences were seen between the groups in terms of MMSE score (P = 0.481), but the CD patient group had poorer scores for the TMA-A (P = 0.004) and TMT-B (P = 0.004). For the UFOV subtests, a decrease was found for visual processing speed (P < 0.001), divided attention (P < 0.001), and selective attention (P = 0.001), as well as higher frequency in the categories with higher risk index in the UFOV test (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Patients with CD may exhibit decreased functional vision and visual attention, as well as higher risk in performing complex activities.