Memory Problems in Parkinson’s Disease Patients With and Without Mild Cognitive Impairment: Comparisons Between Caregiver and Self-report

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine differences in patient and caregiver ratings of memory function in a community sample of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) diagnosed with and without mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI). Methods: One hundred sixty-five patient-caregiver pairings participated in the study. Patients with PD were administered a battery of neuropsychological tests assessing five of the key cognitive domains as indicated in the PD-MCI Movement Disorders Task Force criteria. Patients and caregivers also completed the Memory Assessment Clinics Self-Rating or Family Scale (MAC-S/MAC-F), and patients were divided into two groups, those with PD-MCI and those without. Results: For patients diagnosed with PD-MCI, both patients and caregivers reported significantly more memory changes compared with patients without PD-MCI on the MAC-S and MAC-F. In contrast, for patients without PD-MCI, patients and caregivers differed significantly in their reporting of memory changes, with scores indicating that patients without PD-MCI felt their memory functioning was worse than what caregivers were reporting. Conclusions: Patients with PD without MCI might be more sensitive to memory changes than their caregivers. Whether the self-appraisal of memory problems is predictive of future cognitive difficulties, including progression to PD-MCI or PD dementia, should be the focus of future research.