Enhancing Utility of Neuropsychological Evaluation for Earlier and Effective Diagnosis of Dementia in Parkinson's Disease

Enhancing Utility of Neuropsychological Evaluation for Earlier and Effective Diagnosis of Dementia in Parkinson's Disease

Dementia is observed in 80% of people living with advanced stage Parkinson's disease, however, there are inadequate opportunities for early and effective diagnosis of dementia in current clinical practice. This study aims to identify whether a new tool called PDCogniCare, can improve detection of dementia in people living with Parkinson's disease, and to explore what factors might influence its use in healthcare services.

The PDCogniCare tool integrates best practice guidelines for cognitive evaluations in people living with Parkinson's disease, along with a tailored digital platform to support guideline implementation and routinely track cognitive changes throughout the disease course. We hypothesize that PDCogniCare will significantly enhance cognitive evaluations within healthcare services. Embedded process and economics evaluations will inform implementation and sustainable business models of PDCogniCare.

Inclusion Criteria:

• People living with idiopathic Parkinson's disease, one year or more post-diagnosis, attending Movement Disorder Clinics

Exclusion Criteria:

• People with severe Parkinson's disease who aren't able to communicate
• People with comorbid neurological conditions (e.g. Stroke)