Behavioural Neurology (Jan 1991)

Lack of Selective Vulnerability to Anticholinergic Induced Cognitive Impairment in Early Parkinson’s Disease

  • L. Schelosky,
  • Th. Benke,
  • W. Poewe

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3233/BEN-1991-4206
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 4, no. 2
pp. 103 – 111

Abstract

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Thirteen patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease of recent onset (mean age 63·2 years) and a group of 10 young healthy volunteers (mean age 26·1 years) underwent a series of neuropsychological tests for assessment of memory, learning ability and mental processing speed before and during treatment with trihexyphenidyl. Retesting after anticholinergic exposure (mean of 2 weeks for patients and 1 week for controls) revealed in young healthy controls the same pattern and magnitude of decline in memory function as in Parkinson patients. Non-demented subjects with Parkinson's disease of recent onset thus do riot seem to be selectively vulnerable to cognitive side-effects of anticholinergic treatment.