BACKGROUND: Mild cognitive deficits have been reported in essential tremor (ET). However, these cognitive deficits have been assessed in cross-sectional rather than longitudinal analyses. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether decline in cognitive test scores occurs at a faster rate in ET cases than controls. METHODS: In a population-based study of older people (≥ 65 years) in central Spain (Neurological Disorders in Central Spain, NEDICES), non-demented ET cases and controls were followed prospectively. Participants with baseline or incident Parkinson's disease or dementia were excluded as were participants who developed incident ET. At baseline (1994-1995) and at follow-up (1997-1998), a 37-item version of the mini-mental state examination (37-MMSE) was administered. RESULTS: A total of 2319 participants (72.4 ± 5.8 years) included 135 prevalent ET cases and 2184 controls. At baseline, the mean 37-MMSE in cases was 28.8 ± 5.8 vs. 30.2 ± 4.8 in controls (P = 0.02). During the 3-year follow-up period, the 37-MMSE declined by 0.70 ± 3.2 points in cases vs. 0.11 ± 3.8 points in controls (P = 0.03). In analyses that adjusted for age, education, and other potential confounders, the case-control difference remained robust. DISCUSSION: In this population-based, prospective study of non-demented elders, baseline cognitive test scores were lower in ET cases than controls; moreover, during the 3-year follow-up period, these scores declined at a rate that was seven-times faster in ET cases. This study provides evidence that cognitive deficits in ET are not static, and they appear to be progressing at a faster rate than in elders without this disease.
BACKGROUND: Mild cognitive deficits have been reported in essential tremor (ET). However, these cognitive deficits have been assessed in cross-sectional rather than longitudinal analyses. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether decline in cognitive test scores occurs at a faster rate in ET cases than controls. METHODS: In a population-based study of older people (≥ 65 years) in central Spain (Neurological Disorders in Central Spain, NEDICES), non-demented ET cases and controls were followed prospectively. Participants with baseline or incident Parkinson's disease or dementia were excluded as were participants who developed incident ET. At baseline (1994-1995) and at follow-up (1997-1998), a 37-item version of the mini-mental state examination (37-MMSE) was administered. RESULTS: A total of 2319 participants (72.4 ± 5.8 years) included 135 prevalent ET cases and 2184 controls. At baseline, the mean 37-MMSE in cases was 28.8 ± 5.8 vs. 30.2 ± 4.8 in controls (P = 0.02). During the 3-year follow-up period, the 37-MMSE declined by 0.70 ± 3.2 points in cases vs. 0.11 ± 3.8 points in controls (P = 0.03). In analyses that adjusted for age, education, and other potential confounders, the case-control difference remained robust. DISCUSSION: In this population-based, prospective study of non-demented elders, baseline cognitive test scores were lower in ET cases than controls; moreover, during the 3-year follow-up period, these scores declined at a rate that was seven-times faster in ET cases. This study provides evidence that cognitive deficits in ET are not static, and they appear to be progressing at a faster rate than in elders without this disease.
Authors: E K Tan; S Fook-Chong; S Y Lum; C Gabriel; K K Koh; K M Prakash; Elan D Louis Journal: Parkinsonism Relat Disord Date: 2005-09 Impact factor: 4.891
Authors: J M Morales; F P Bermejo; J Benito-León; J Rivera-Navarro; R Trincado; R Gabriel S; S Vega Journal: Public Health Date: 2004-09 Impact factor: 2.427
Authors: J Benito-León; F Bermejo-Pareja; J M Morales-González; J Porta-Etessam; R Trincado; S Vega; E D Louis Journal: Neurology Date: 2004-03-09 Impact factor: 9.910
Authors: Anne Damian; Charles H Adler; Joseph G Hentz; Holly A Shill; John N Caviness; Marwan N Sabbagh; Virgilio G H Evidente; Thomas G Beach; Erika Driver-Dunckley Journal: Parkinsonism Relat Disord Date: 2012-07-06 Impact factor: 4.891
Authors: Martina Hoskovcová; Olga Ulmanová; Otakar Sprdlík; Tomáš Sieger; Jana Nováková; Robert Jech; Evžen Růžička Journal: Cerebellum Date: 2013-02 Impact factor: 3.847