Cognitive Impairment in Neurodegenerative Movement Disorders

Patients with neurodegenerative movement disorders can develop cognitive impairment during the disease. Cognitive symptoms have been associated with decreased quality of life, higher caregiver burden, and earlier institutionalization, and are therefore critical for physicians to understand and address. The evaluation of cognitive performance of patients with neurodegenerative movement disorders is important for providing adequate diagnosis, management, prognosis, and support patients and their caregivers. In this review, we discuss the features of the cognitive impairment profile of commonly encountered movement disorders: Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, multiple system atrophy, progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal syndrome, and Huntington's disease. In addition, we provide neurologists with practical guidance and evaluation tools for the assessment and management of these challenging patients.

Automated summary

Patients with neurodegenerative movement disorders can develop cognitive impairment which is associated with decreased quality of life, higher caregiver burden, and earlier institutionalization. Evaluating cognitive performance in these patients is important for diagnosis, management, prognosis, and support. This review discusses the cognitive impairment profile in different movement disorders and provides neurologists with practical guidance and evaluation tools.