The VA National TeleNeurology Program implementation: a mixed-methods evaluation guided by RE-AIM framework.

Introduction: The Veteran Affairs (VA) Office of Rural Health (ORH) funded the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) National TeleNeurology Program (NTNP) as an Enterprise-Wide Initiative (EWI). NTNP is an innovative healthcare delivery model designed to fill the patient access gap for outpatient neurological care especially for Veterans residing in rural communities. The specific aim was to apply the RE-AIM framework in a pragmatic evaluation of NTNP services. Materials and methods: We conducted a prospective implementation evaluation. Guided by the pragmatic application of the RE-AIM framework, we conceptualized a mixed-methods evaluation for key metrics: (1) reach into the Veteran patient population assessed as total NTNP new patient consult volume and total NTNP clinical encounters (new and return); (2) effectiveness through configurational analysis of conditions leading to high Veteran satisfaction and referring providers perceived effectiveness; (3) adoption and implementation by VA sites through site staff and NTNP interviews; (4) implementation success through perceived management, implementation barriers, facilitators, and adaptations and through rapid qualitative analysis of multiple stakeholders' assessments; and (5) maintenance of NTNP through monitoring quarterly TeleNeurology consultation volume. Results: NTNP was successfully implemented in 13 VA Medical Centers over 2 years. The total NTNP new patient consult volume in fiscal year 2021 (FY21) was 836 (58% rurally residing); this increased to 1,706 in fiscal year 2022 (FY22) (55% rurally residing). Total (new and follow-up) NTNP clinical encounters were 1,306 in FY21 and 3,730 in FY22. Overall, the sites reported positive experiences with program implementation and perceived that the program was serving Veterans with little access to neurological care. Veterans also reported high satisfaction with the NTNP program. We identified the patient level of perceived excellent teleneurologist-patient communications, reduced need to drive to get care, and that NTNP provided care that the Veteran otherwise could not access as key factors related to high Veteran satisfaction. Conclusions: The VA NTNP demonstrated substantial reach, adoption, effectiveness, implementation success, and maintenance over the first 2 years of the program. The NTNP was highly acceptable to both the clinical providers making the referrals and the Veterans receiving the referred video care. The pragmatic application of the RE-AIM framework to guide implementation evaluations is appropriate, comprehensive, and recommended for future applications.

Deploying Digital Health Technologies for Remote Physical Activity Monitoring of Rural Populations With Chronic Neurologic Disease.

Objective: The objective of this pilot study was to examine the feasibility of a remote physical activity monitoring program, quantify baseline activity levels, and examine predictors of activity among rurally residing adults with Parkinson disease (PD) or stroke. Design: Thirty-day observational study. Participants completed standardized assessments, connected a wearable device, and synced daily step counts via a remote monitoring platform. Setting: Community-based remote monitoring. Participants: Rurally residing adults with PD or stroke enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration. Intervention: N/A. Main Outcome Measures: Feasibility was evaluated using recruitment data (response rates), study completion (completed assessments and connected the wearable device), and device adherence (days recording ≥100 steps). Daily step counts were examined descriptively. Predictors of daily steps were explored across the full sample, then by diagnosis, using linear mixed-effects regression analyses. Results: Forty participants (n=20 PD; n=20 stroke) were included in the analysis with a mean (SD) age of 72.9 (7.6) years. Participants resided 252.6 (105.6) miles from the coordinating site. Recruitment response rates were 11% (PD) and 6% (stroke). Study completion rates were 71% (PD) and 80% (stroke). Device adherence rates were 97.0% (PD) and 95.2% (stroke). Participants with PD achieved a median [interquartile range] of 2618 [3896] steps per day and participants with stroke achieved 4832 [7383] steps. Age was the only significant predictor of daily steps for the full sample (-265 steps, 95% confidence interval [-407, -123]) and by diagnosis (PD, -175 steps, [-335, -15]; stroke, -357 steps [-603, -112]). Conclusions: A remote physical activity monitoring program for rurally residing individuals with PD or stroke was feasible. This study establishes a model for a scalable physical activity program for rural, older populations with neurologic conditions from a central coordinating site.

IN-HOME-PDCaregivers: The effects of a combined home visit and peer mentoring intervention for caregivers of homebound individuals with advanced Parkinson's disease.

INTRODUCTION: Family caregivers of people with advanced Parkinson's Disease (PD) are at high risk of caregiver strain, which independently predicts adverse patient outcomes. We tested the effects of one year of interdisciplinary, telehealth-enhanced home visits (IN-HOME-PD) with 16 weeks of peer mentoring on caregiver strain compared with usual care. METHODS: We enrolled homebound people with advanced PD (PWPD) and their primary caregiver as IN-HOME-PD dyads. We trained experienced PD family caregivers as peer mentors. Dyads received four structured home visits focused on advanced symptom management, home safety, medications, and psychosocial needs. Starting at approximately four months, caregivers spoke weekly with a peer mentor for 16 weeks. We compared one-year change in caregiver strain (MCSI, range 0-72) with historical controls, analyzed intervention acceptability, and measured change in anxiety, depression, and self-efficacy. RESULTS: Longitudinally, IN-HOME-PD caregiver strain was unchanged (n = 51, 23.34 (SD 9.43) vs. 24.32 (9.72), p = 0.51) while that of controls worsened slightly (n = 154, 16.45 (10.33) vs. 17.97 (10.88), p = 0.01). Retention in peer mentoring was 88.2%. Both mentors and mentees rated 100% of mentoring calls useful, with mean satisfaction of 91/100 and 90/100, respectively. There were no clinically significant improvements in anxiety, depression, or self-efficacy. CONCLUSIONS: Interdisciplinary telehealth-enhanced home visits combined with peer mentoring mitigated the worsening strain observed in caregivers of less advanced individuals. Mentoring was met with high satisfaction. Future caregiver-led peer mentoring interventions are warranted given the growing, unmet needs of PD family caregivers. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT03189459.

IN-HOME-PD: The effects of longitudinal telehealth-enhanced interdisciplinary home visits on care and quality of life for homebound individuals with Parkinson's disease.

INTRODUCTION: Homebound individuals with advanced Parkinson's disease (PD) are underrepresented in research and care. We tested the impact of interdisciplinary, telehealth-enhanced home visits (IN-HOME-PD) on patient quality of life (QoL) compared with usual care. METHODS: Nonrandomized controlled trial of quarterly, structured, telehealth-enhanced interdisciplinary home visits focused on symptom management, home safety, medication reconciliation, and psychosocial needs (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03189459). We enrolled homebound participants with advanced PD (Hoehn & Yahr (HY) stage ≥3). Usual care participants had ≥2 visits in the Parkinson's Outcomes Project (POP) registry. We compared within- and between-group one-year change in QoL using the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire. RESULTS: Sixty-five individuals enrolled in IN-HOME-PD (32.3% women; mean age 78.9 (SD 7.6) years; 74.6% white; 78.5% HY ≥ 4) compared with 319 POP controls, with differences in age, race, and PD severity (37.9% women; mean age 70.1 (7.8) years; 96.2% white; 15.1% HY ≥ 4). Longitudinally, the intervention group's QoL remained unchanged (within-group p = 0.74, Cohen's d = 0.05) while QoL decreased over time in POP controls (p < 0.001, Cohen's d = 0.27). The difference favored the intervention (between-group p = 0.04). POP participants declined in 7/8 dimensions while IN-HOME-PD participants' bodily discomfort improved and hospice use and death at home-markers of goal-concordant care-far exceeded national data. CONCLUSIONS: Telehealth-enhanced home visits can stabilize and may improve the predicted QoL decline in advanced PD via continuity of care and facilitating goal-concordant care, particularly among diverse populations. Extrapolating features of this model may improve continuity of care and outcomes in advanced PD.

Longitudinal, Interdisciplinary Home Visits Versus Usual Care for Homebound People With Advanced Parkinson Disease: Protocol for a Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: The current understanding of advanced Parkinson disease (PD) and its treatment is largely based on data from outpatient visits. The most advanced and disabled individuals with PD are disconnected from both care and research. A previous pilot study among older, multimorbid patients with advanced PD demonstrated the feasibility of interdisciplinary home visits to reach the target population, improve care quality, and potentially avoid institutionalization. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study protocol is to investigate whether interdisciplinary home visits can prevent a decline in quality of life of patients with PD and prevent worsening of caregiver strain. The protocol also explores whether program costs are offset by savings in health care utilization and institutionalization compared with usual care. METHODS: In this single-center, controlled trial, 65 patient-caregiver dyads affected by advanced PD (Hoehn and Yahr stages 3-5 and homebound) are recruited to receive quarterly interdisciplinary home visits over 1 year. The 1-year intervention is delivered by a nurse and a research coordinator, who travel to the home, and it is supported by a movement disorder specialist and social worker (both present by video). Each dyad is compared with age-, sex-, and Hoehn and Yahr stage-matched control dyads drawn from US participants in the longitudinal Parkinson's Outcome Project registry. The primary outcome measure is the change in patient quality of life between baseline and 1 year. Secondary outcome measures include changes in Hoehn and Yahr stage, caregiver strain, self-reported fall frequency, emergency room visits, hospital admissions, and time to institutionalization or death. Intervention costs and changes in health care utilization will be analyzed in a budget impact analysis to explore the potential for model adaptation and dissemination. RESULTS: The protocol was funded in September 2017 and approved by the Rush Institutional Review Board in October 2017. Recruitment began in May 2018 and closed in November 2019 with 65 patient-caregiver dyads enrolled. All study visits have been completed, and analysis is underway. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first controlled trial to investigate the effects of interdisciplinary home visits among homebound individuals with advanced PD and their caregivers. This study also establishes a unique cohort of patients from whom we can study the natural course of advanced PD, its treatments, and unmet needs. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03189459; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03189459. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/31690.

Olfactory Impairment Predicts Underlying Dopaminergic Deficit in Presumed Drug-Induced Parkinsonism.

Drug-induced parkinsonism (DIP) is common, and the motor symptoms can be indistinguishable from Parkinson's disease (PD). When symptoms persist after drug withdrawal, this may represent "unmasking" of underlying PD. We previously reported that hyposmia, a common nonmotor feature of PD, was associated with persistent DIP. Here, we report on a series of 33 consecutive patients who underwent dopamine transporter imaging to evaluate DIP. We examined the clinical correlates of underlying dopaminergic denervation by comparing subjects with normal and abnormal scans. Imaging was abnormal in 7 of 33 (21%) cases. Motor features were similar in patients with normal and abnormal scans. Olfactory testing was available for 30 subjects and was concordant with imaging in 27 of 30 (odds ratio = 63; 95% confidence interval: 4.8-820; P = 0.002). Olfactory testing may be a simple screen to help identify DIP patients with underlying dopaminergic denervation, consistent with unmasking of incipient PD.

High patient satisfaction with telehealth in Parkinson disease: A randomized controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Parkinson disease (PD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder that benefits from specialty care. Telehealth is an innovative resource that can enhance access to this care within a patient-centered framework. Research suggests that telehealth can lead to increased patient satisfaction, equal or better clinical outcomes, and cost savings, but these outcomes have not been well-studied in PD. METHODS: We conducted a dual active-arm 12-month randomized controlled trial to assess patient satisfaction, clinical outcomes, travel burden, and health care utilization in PD using video telehealth for follow-up care with specialty providers. Telehealth visits took place either at a facility nearer to the patient (satellite clinic arm) or in the patient's home (home arm). Each control group received usual in-person care. Patient satisfaction, assessed by quantitative questionnaires, was the primary outcome. RESULTS: Eighty-six men were enrolled (home arm: 18 active, 18 control; satellite clinic arm: 26 active, 24 control) with a mean age of 73 years (range 42-87). There were no differences in baseline characteristics between the active group and the controls in each arm (p > 0.05). A significant difference in overall patient satisfaction was not found; however, high levels of patient satisfaction were found in all groups. Greater satisfaction for the telehealth modality was found in assessments of convenience and accessibility/distance. Clinical outcomes were similar between groups, travel burden was reduced using telehealth, and health care utilization was largely similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: As the need for PD subspecialty care increases, innovative patient-centered solutions to overcoming barriers to access, such as video telehealth, will be invaluable to patients and may provide high patient satisfaction.

Orthostatic tremor: Clinical, electrophysiologic, and treatment findings in 184 patients.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical, electrophysiologic, and treatment outcome features of orthostatic tremor (OT) in a large case series. METHODS: We performed medical record review of 184 patients who met clinical and electrodiagnostic criteria for OT from 1976 to 2013 at the Mayo Clinic. Demographic, clinical, electrophysiologic, and treatment data were extracted. RESULTS: The majority of OT cases were female (63.6%) and mean age at onset was 59.3 years (range 13-85 years). Diagnosis was delayed by a mean of 7.2 years (range 0-44 years). The average tremor frequency was 15.7 Hz (range 12.5-20 Hz), and transmitted to the arms on weight-bearing (95.5%). Patients reported a spectrum of progressive orthostatic leg symptoms, relieved by sitting or leaning. Falls were reported in 24.1%. Coexistent neurologic disorders included essential tremor (22.8%), other tremor (4.9%), and parkinsonism (8.7%). Family history of OT was noted in 4.9%. Of 46 medications trialed, 24 failed to provide any benefit. Benzodiazepines provided at least mild benefit in 55.9%, and moderate to marked benefit in 31.5%; ß-blockers (31.0%) and anticonvulsants (25.0%) provided mild benefit, and the remainder were largely ineffective. Medication benefit waned over time. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) was effective in 2 cases. CONCLUSION: OT predominantly affects female seniors, and the diagnosis should be considered with any orthostatic-induced leg symptoms, and confirmed by surface EMG. Benzodiazepines are the most efficacious treatment, followed by ß-blockers and anticonvulsants. DBS should be further explored for treatment.

Memantine and Cognition in Parkinson's Disease Dementia/Dementia With Lewy Bodies: A Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this work was to utilize meta-analysis in examining the effects of memantine on neuropsychological functioning in patients with Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). METHODS: Included studies fulfilled these criteria: included objective cognitive measures, a comparison group of participants not taking memantine, and provided sufficient data for calculation of effect size. We examined effect sizes across global cognition and five specific neuropsychological domains. Moderator variables examined included neuropsychological domain, diagnostic cohort (PDD, DLB, or mixed PDD-DLB cohort), study design (open label or placebo-controlled), and trial length. RESULTS: Six publications met inclusion criteria totaling 57 effects. Homogeneity analysis across cognitive domains revealed a small overall effect size (d = 0.25) that was significantly heterogeneous (P < 0.001). Specific neuropsychological domains did not moderate effect size, though. Moderator analysis studies using a mix of DLB and PDD subjects showed larger effects than those that included DLB or PDD patients only. Additionally, open-label trials had significantly (P < 0.001) larger effect sizes (d = 1.32) than placebo-controlled trials (d = 0.12). CONCLUSIONS: The present study indicates that effect-size heterogeneity across studies of memantine in DLB and PDD patients is moderated by diagnostic makeup of the cohort and study design. The small overall effect size noted in placebo-controlled trials versus open-label trials indicates that memantine has minimal effects on cognition in PDD and DLB and is unlikely to demonstrate clinically significant improvements in cognition.

Caregiver tele-support group for Parkinson's disease: A pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a disabling neurodegenerative disease that typically affects the geriatric population and requires a caregiver. Although caregiver burden reduces quality of life of the caregiver, support groups for caregivers have not been studied. Offering a tele-support group to PD caregivers would be an innovative approach to extending a novel resource. METHODS: A single-center pilot study was conducted, enrolling caregivers in an 8-week tele-support group program. Mood state and caregiver burden were assessed at baseline and conclusion of the program using self-report questionnaires. Qualitative feedback was obtained at the conclusion of the program. RESULTS: Seven female spouse caregivers enrolled; 86% completed the program. Although no statistically significant changes in questionnaire scores were found, the mean Geriatric Depression Scale decreased from 4.2 to 3 and qualitative feedback was universally positive. CONCLUSIONS: The use of tele-support groups for PD caregivers is a feasible and innovative resource to address caregiver burden.

The past, present, and future of telemedicine for Parkinson's disease.

Travel distance, growing disability, and uneven distribution of doctors limit access to care for most Parkinson's disease (PD) patients worldwide. Telemedicine, the use of telecommunications technology to deliver care at a distance, can help overcome these barriers. In this report, we describe the past, present, and likely future applications of telemedicine to PD. Historically, telemedicine has relied on expensive equipment to connect single patients to a specialist in pilot programs in wealthy nations. As the cost of video conferencing has plummeted, these efforts have expanded in scale and scope, now reaching larger parts of the world and extending the focus from care to training of remote providers. Policy, especially limited reimbursement, currently hinders the growth and adoption of these new care models. As these policies change and technology advances and spreads, the following will likely develop: integrated care networks that connect patients to a wide range of providers; education programs that support patients and health care providers; and new research applications that include remote monitoring and remote visits. Together, these developments will enable more individuals with PD to connect to care, increase access to expertise for patients and providers, and allow more-extensive, less-expensive participation in research.

Globus pallidus interna deep brain stimulation for tardive dyskinesia: case report and review of the literature.

Tardive dyskinesia (TD) can be a disabling condition and is frequently refractory to medical therapy. Over the past decade there have been many reports of TD patients experiencing significant benefit with deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the globus pallidus interna (GPi). The growing literature on this treatment option for TD consists predominantly of case reports and series. The reported benefit ranges widely, but the majority of cases experienced at least a 50% improvement in symptoms. The anatomical distribution of dyskinesias has not clearly influenced outcome, though fixed postures appear less likely to improve than phasic movements. Onset of benefit can be immediate or take months, and benefit is sustained in most cases, for at least 6 months and up to several years. A wide variety of voltages, frequencies, and pulse widths have demonstrated efficacy. A small number of reports which examined psychiatric symptoms before and after surgery did not find any decline, and in some cases revealed improvement in mood. However, these overall positive results should be interpreted with caution, as the majority of reports lacked blinded assessments, control groups, or standardized therapy parameters. Finally, we present an illustrative case of refractory tardive dyskinesia treated with GPi-DBS with 5 years of follow-up and 4 accompanying video segments.

Medication management and neuropsychological performance in Parkinson's disease.

Medication non-adherence is associated with chronic disease and complex medication schedules, and Parkinson's disease (PD) patients also frequently have cognitive impairments that may interfere with effective medication management. The current study quantitatively assessed the medication management skills of PD patients and probed the neurocognitive underpinnings and clinical correlates of this skill. A total of 26 men with PD completed a neuropsychological battery and a modified version of the Hopkins Medication Schedule (HMS), a standard test of a person's ability to understand and implement a routine prescription medication. Estimated adherence rates from performance on the HMS were low. Memory, executive functioning, and processing speed were strongly related to different components of the HMS. A range of neuropsychological abilities is associated with the ability to understand and implement a medication schedule and pillbox in individuals with PD.

The monoamine oxidase type B inhibitor rasagiline in the treatment of Parkinson disease: is tyramine a challenge?

Rasagiline is an irreversible monoamine oxidase type B (MAO-B) inhibitor indicated for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of idiopathic Parkinson disease as initial monotherapy and as adjunct therapy to levodopa. Pharmacologic inhibition of monoamine oxidase type A (MAO-A), but not MAO-B, poses a risk of the "cheese effect," a hypertensive response to excess dietary tyramine, a biogenic sympathomimetic amine. Tyramine challenge studies, conducted to characterize rasagiline selectivity for the MAO-B enzyme and tyramine sensitivity, demonstrate that rasagiline, when used at the recommended dose, is selective for MAO-B and is not associated with heightened tyramine sensitivity. This conclusion is also supported by safety results from large clinical trials of rasagiline in Parkinson disease involving 2066 rasagiline-treated patients who did not require dietary tyramine restriction per protocol. In late 2009, US labeling for rasagiline was modified to state that dietary tyramine restrictions are not ordinarily required when rasagiline is administered at recommended doses. In addition, because rasagiline has been demonstrated to be selective for MAO-B at the approved dose of up to 1 mg/d, contraindications regarding concomitant use with sympathomimetic amines, use of sympathomimetic vasopressors in conjunction with general or local anesthesia, and use in patients with pheochromocytoma also were removed.

An international consensus study of neuroleptic malignant syndrome diagnostic criteria using the Delphi method.

OBJECTIVE: The lack of generally accepted diagnostic criteria for neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) impedes research and clinical management of patients receiving antipsychotic medications. The purpose of this study was to develop NMS diagnostic criteria reflecting a broad consensus among clinical knowledge experts, represented by an international multispecialty physician panel. PARTICIPANTS: Eleven psychiatrists, 2 neurologists, 2 anesthesiologists, and 2 emergency medicine specialists participated in a formal Delphi consensus procedure. EVIDENCE: A core bibliography consisting of 12 prominent, current reviews of the NMS literature was identified by an objective, comprehensive electronic search strategy. Each panel member was given a copy of these references and asked to examine them before commencing the survey process. CONSENSUS PROCESS: After reviewing the core bibliography, panel members were asked to list any clinical signs or symptoms or diagnostic studies that they believed, on the basis of their knowledge and clinical experience, were useful in making a diagnosis of NMS. In subsequent survey rounds, panel members assigned priority points to these items, and items that failed to receive a minimum priority score were eliminated from the next round. Information about individual panel member responses was fed back to the group anonymously in the form of the group median or mean and the number of members who had ranked or scored each survey item. The a priori consensus endpoint was defined operationally as a change of 10% or less in the mean priority score for any individual item, and an average absolute value change of 5% or less across all items, between consecutive rounds. The survey was conducted from January 2009 through September 2009. RESULTS: Consensus was reached on the fifth round regarding the following criteria: recent dopamine antagonist exposure, or dopamine agonist withdrawal; hyperthermia; rigidity; mental status alteration; creatine kinase elevation; sympathetic nervous system lability; tachycardia plus tachypnea; and a negative work-up for other causes. The panel also reached a consensus on the relative importance of these criteria and on the following critical values for quantitative criteria: hyperthermia, > 100.4°F or > 38.0°C on at least 2 occasions; creatine kinase elevation, at least 4 times the upper limit of normal; blood pressure elevation, ≥ 25% above baseline; blood pressure fluctuation, ≥ 20 mm Hg (diastolic) or ≥ 25 mm Hg (systolic) change within 24 hours; tachycardia, ≥ 25% above baseline; and tachypnea, ≥ 50% above baseline. CONCLUSIONS: These diagnostic criteria significantly advance the field because they represent the consensus of an international multispecialty expert panel, include critical values, provide guidance regarding the relative importance of individual elements, and are less influenced by particular theoretical biases than most previously published criteria. They require validation before being applied in clinical settings.

Montreal cognitive assessment performance in patients with Parkinson's disease with "normal" global cognition according to mini-mental state examination score.

OBJECTIVES: To examine Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) performance in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) with "normal" global cognition according to Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score. DESIGN: A cross-sectional comparison of the MoCA and the MMSE. SETTING: Two movement disorders centers at the University of Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center. PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of 131 patients with idiopathic PD who were screened for cognitive and psychiatric complications. MEASUREMENTS: Subjects were administered the MoCA and MMSE, and only subjects defined as having a normal age- and education-adjusted MMSE score were included in the analyses (N=100). As previously recommended in patients without PD, a MoCA score less than 26 was used to indicate the presence of at least mild cognitive impairment (MCI). RESULTS: Mean MMSE and MoCA scores+/-standard deviation were 28.8+/-1.1 and 24.9+/-3.1, respectively. More than half (52.0%) of subjects with normal MMSE scores had cognitive impairment according to their MoCA score. Impairments were seen in numerous cognitive domains, including memory, visuospatial and executive abilities, attention, and language. Predictors of cognitive impairment on the MoCA using univariate analyses were male sex, older age, lower educational level, and greater disease severity; older age was the only predictor in a multivariate model. CONCLUSION: Approximately half of patients with PD with a normal MMSE score have cognitive impairment based on the recommended MoCA cutoff score. These results suggest that MCI is common in PD and that the MoCA is a more sensitive instrument than the MMSE for its detection.