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Mild extrapyramidal signs and functional impairment in ageing
Author(s) -
Richards Marcus,
Touchon Jacques,
Ledesert Bernard,
Ritchie Karen
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
international journal of geriatric psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.28
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1166
pISSN - 0885-6230
DOI - 10.1002/gps.548
Subject(s) - dementia , depression (economics) , cognition , psychology , cognitive decline , disease , ageing , parkinson's disease , cognitive impairment , late life depression , psychiatry , medicine , economics , macroeconomics
Background Little is known about the clinical significance of mild extrapyramidal signs (EPS) in elderly individuals. We investigated whether EPS are associated with functional impairment in older people with cognitive decline. Methods A sub‐group of 105 participants from the EUGERIA Study of Cognitive Ageing without Parkinson's disease or dementia, but with informant evidence of cognitive decline, were followed across three years and underwent neurological examination and assessment of mental health, cognition and functional capacity. Results 28.6% had at least one EPS (resting tremor, muscular rigidity or akinesia, of which rigidity was the most frequent). EPS presence was significantly associated with functional impairment after controlling for age and cognitive impairment (AAMI), although the association was reduced to borderline significance after further adjustment for depression and psychotropic medication use. There was evidence of colinearity between EPS and depression, possibly suggesting similar underlying mechanisms. Conclusions There is an association between mild EPS and functional impairment in older persons with evidence of cognitive decline, but free of dementia or Parkinson's disease. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.