Cognition and PD

Cognition & PD

By American Parkinson Disease Association, February 17, 2021

In this one-hour webinar, movement disorders specialist Kathleen Poston, MD, explains the value of having a thorough cognitive evaluation as a baseline for those with PD.  She also discusses how to identify concurrent issues that can make cognitive changes worse, and shares both medication and non-medication strategies for addressing cognitive changes, before answering questions.

Cognitive Changes

By Jennifer G. Goldman, MD, MS, published by American Parkinson Disease Association

The author, a neurologist, defines “cognition," describes cognitive changes in PD, and offers other reasons for cognitive symptoms. The article ends with management strategies for cognitive symptoms. 

Cognitive Changes

Published by Parkinson's Foundation

This webpage notes that mental and motor decline tend to occur together as Parkinson's progresses. Cognitive impairment is different from dementia but can still have a negative impact on caregiver stress and quality of life. The causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and co-existing conditions that affect thinking and memory, as well as treatment and tips for caregivers are summarized.

Memory & Thinking Changes

Published by The Michael J. Fox Foundation

This webpage defines mild cognitive impairment and the dementia associated with Parkinson's disease, causes and treatments, evaluating cognitive problems with your doctor, maintaining brain health, and ongoing research.

Thinking and Memory Problems with Parkinson's Disease

By Veterans Health Administration

This 8-minute video alternates between an interview with a man sharing his memory problems due to Parkinson's disease, with doctors explaining how cognitive changes and memory problems manifest in PD and how they test to determine if those changes are significant enough to be treated as dementia.

Understanding Thinking Changes in Parkinson's Disease

By Parkinson's Foundation, April 7, 2021

In this one-hour webinar, listeners will learn key features of cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease, including what symptoms may occur and why they may develop. Strategies for dealing with cognitive changes will be discussed, along with medications and potential research interventions in the field. An interdisciplinary approach regarding cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease will be highlighted.

Mild Cognitive Impairment in Parkinson's Disease

By American Parkinson Disease Association, 2024

This two-page fact sheet defines mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and explains how to tell if you have MCI. It covers what to do about it, ways to help prevent MCI from progressing to dementia, strategies to mitigate the effects of MCI on daily life, and participating in clinical trials.

Thinking Changes in Parkinson's - Engaging Neuropsychology

By Parkinson's Foundation, January 6, 2021

In this one-hour webinar, Travis Turner, PhD, explains why you might be referred for a neuropsychological evaluation, what is done during such an evaluation, how the information learned during an evaluation is used, and tips for performing your best during an evaluation.  After the talk he answered several questions about coping with cognitive changes when you have PD or are caring for someone with PD.

Cognition & How it Relates to Other Non-Motor Symptoms

By Davis Phinney Foundation, October 30, 2019

In this wide-ranging one-hour webinar, Dr. Jennifer Goldman discusses cognitive symptoms, depression, other mood issues, and psychosis.  She addresses "confounding factors" that affect cognition and signs that may indicate changes in cognition are the result of medication side effects or infections.  Finally, she notes the emotional toll that cognitive, mood, and other non-motor symptoms can have on a person with PD and their care partners and how to manage it.

Cognition and Mood and How to Manage Them

By Davis Phinney Foundation, October 3, 2020

In this 50-minute webinar, Greg Pontone, MD, distinguishes the cognitive changes commonly seen in those with dementia from the cognitive changes seen in Parkinson's disease (PD).  He shares medications used to treat dementia and highlights those that are more effective for the cognitive changes in Parkinson's.  Dr. Pontone also talks about depression and anxiety; specifically, the impact depression has on quality of life, and meditations to treat it, and how increased feelings of anxiety can be directly related to the wearing-off of medications.

Webinar notes on the Stanford PD Community Blog

Mental Health and PD

By Parkinson’s Foundation, September 18, 2018

In this one-hour webinar, psychiatrist Laura March discusses the overlap of motor, cognitive, and psychiatric aspects of PD, as well as describing the features of co-morbid psychiatric disturbances, including depression, anxiety and psychosis along with general approaches to treatment.

Mind, Mood & Memory

Edited by Rebecca Martine, APRN, and John Duda, MD, published by National Parkinson Foundation (now Parkinson's Foundation)

This 94-page booklet provides an overview of the mental health aspects of PD, including depression, anxiety, loss of emotional control, and loss of impulse control, and how they can be effectively manage. Changes in memory, confusional states, daytime sleepiness, sleep problems, and generalized fatigue are addressed. There's a full chapter on Dementia with Lewy Bodies.

Psychiatric & Cognitive Complications in Parkinson’s

By Davis Phinney Foundation, September 11, 2019 

Depression, anxiety, cognitive decline, psychosis and impulse control can be common in people with Parkinson’s.  They affect quality of life for both people with Parkinson’s and care partners. In this webinar Dr Daniel Weintraub discusses these issues, the correlation between mood, motor function and Levodopa levels, and more.  Registration is required, but it is free.

Webinar notes on the Stanford PD Community Blog

Cognition and Psychosis

By PMD Alliance, June 17 2020

In this 48-minute webinar, geriatric psychiatrist Daniel Weintraub, MD, provides an overview of the neuropsychiatric and cognitive symptoms that can occur in PD.  He discusses the range of symptoms that comprise PD psychosis, including illusions, hallucinations, and delusions. He also covers the changes in memory and thinking that can occur in PD. For each topic, he describes how these symptoms may present, potential risk factors, how the symptoms are assessed, and management options.

Webinar notes on the Stanford PD Community Blog

Brain Boost: A Conversation on Thinking, Memory and Parkinson's

By The Michael J. Fox Foundation, March 18, 2021

In this one-hour webinar, a panel of experts and a person with Lewy Body Dementia answered questions about cognitive changes typical in those with Parkinson's Disease (PD) and Lewy Body Dementia.  They discussed what's normal and what's not, the impact cognitive changes have on everyday life, strategies for both the person with PD and care partners to cope with these changes. Experts reported what researchers know about predicting who is likely to suffer significant cognitive change with PD.

Cognition: A Mind Guide to Parkinson’s Disease

Published by Parkinson’s Foundation, 2018

This 52-page booklet offers coping strategies for people with cognitive changes due to Parkinson’s disease, and their caregivers. The information, tips, and stories are intended to help organize thoughts and questions for your medical team.  Read online, download the booklet, or order a physical copy. This booklet is based on the 94-page booklet "Mind, Mood & Memory," linked below. 

Cognitive Changes in Parkinson's Disease

By American Parkinson Disease Association, 2023

This two-page fact sheet describes cognitive symptoms in PD and how cognition is evaluated.  It discusses causes of cognitive issues.  Finally, medication and non-medication management strategies are suggested, along with a reminder that driving is impacted by cognitive changes and should be evaluated.

Spark: The Panel Discussion following the documentary about Robin Williams and his Battle With Lewy Body Dementia

By Family Caregiver Alliance, June 30, 2021

In this 42-minute webinar, Bruce Miller, MD, answers questions about Parkinson's Disease and Lewy Body Dementia (LBD).  Panelists Dianne and Denise share their experiences getting diagnosed and caregiving for family members with LBD.

Webinar Notes on the Stanford PD Community Blog

Caregiving Strategies for PD Dementia

By PMD Alliance, January 11, 2021

In this one-hour webinar, Angelo Domingo, Psy.D., does a good job of explaining the cognitive changes caregivers can expect in the later stages of Parkinson's and shared numerous tips for accomplishing daily tasks as smoothly as possible despite those changes.  

Cognition, Caring and Coping

By World Parkinson Coalition, September 2020

This one-hour virtual panel begins with a series of short presentations on cognitive changes in people with Parkinson’s by four speakers with different experiences in this topic: a registered nurse, a social worker, and a person with Parkinson’s with his caregiver husband. Following the presentations, the discussion and question and answer period was focused on the role of PD caregivers when a person with PD is experiencing cognitive changes. 

Cambios cognitivos en la enfermedad de Parkinson

Por la Asociación Estadounidense de la Enfermedad de Parkinson (APDA), 2023

Esta hoja informativa de dos páginas describe los cambios cognitivos comunes en personas con enfermedad de Parkinson y cómo se evalúa la cognición. Aborda el deterioro cognitivo leve (DCL) y la demencia, así como las causas del DCL en personas con Parkinson. Finalmente, se proponen estrategias de manejo con y sin medicamentos, junto con un recordatorio de que los cambios cognitivos pueden afectar la capacidad para conducir y deben ser evaluados.

La Enfermedad de Parkinson: Mente, Estado de Animo y Memoria

Editado por Rebecca Martine, APRN, y John Duda, MD, publicado por la National Parkinson Foundation (ahora Parkinson’s Foundation)

Este folleto de 94 páginas ofrece una visión general de los aspectos de salud mental relacionados con la enfermedad de Parkinson, incluyendo la depresión, la ansiedad, la pérdida de control emocional y la pérdida de control de los impulsos, así como formas eficaces de manejarlos. También aborda los cambios en la memoria, los estados confusionales, la somnolencia diurna, los problemas de sueño y la fatiga generalizada. Incluye un capítulo completo sobre la demencia con cuerpos de Lewy.