Cognitive Rehabilitation for Executive Dysfunction in Parkinson's Disease: Application and Current Directions

Table 1

Cognitive training programs for patients with Parkinson’s disease.

Author(s)	Total 𝑁	Randomized study	Length of treatment	Treatment	Cognitive targets	Outcome measures	Results
McKinlay et al. [24]	20	No	12 1-hour sessions over 6 weeks	Computerized software for neuropsychological training	Attention, abstract reasoning, visuospatial	Babcock’s story, FAS, Raven matricies, Corsi-test, WCST and Stroop	PD patients improved on Babcock’s story, FAS* and Raven matrices and at 6 months gains maintained. No differences from baseline on digit span, Corsi-test, WCST* and Stroop after training
Sinforiani et al. [25]	14	No	4 90-minute sessions over 4 weeks	Attention process training	Sustained, selective, alternating, and divided attention	Digits backward, Stroop, Trail Making Test B, FAS	Improvement on digits backward, Stroop, Trail Making Test B and FAS post treatment. On average, self-ratings were given for “some” to “much” progress, enjoyment and effort in the program
Mohlman et al. [26]	26	Yes; 12 cognitive training 14 standard treatment	10 30-minute sessions during a 3-4 week rehabilitation hospital stay.	Working memory tasks	Executive functions	BADS	Cognitive training group significant improvement on BADS*
Sammer et al. [27]	33	Yes; 18 cognitive training group15 control group	12 45-minute sessions over 4 weeks	Computerized software and paper-pencil exercises	Attention/ working memory, memory, psychomotor speed, executive functions and visuospatial	Digits Forward, Stroop, ROCFT, Semantic fluency, Trail Making B, TOL, PDQ-39 and CDS	Cognitive Training group had more improvement than Control Group after treatment on the Digit Span Forward, Stroop Word Test, ROCFT, Semantic fluency, Trail Making B and TOL. No group differences on the PDQ-39 or CDS

* Note: BADS: behavioral assessment of dysexecutive syndrome, FAS: phonological word fluency test; WCST: wisconsin card sorting task; ROCFT: Rey-Osterrieth complex figure test, TOL: tower of London, PDQ-39: Parkinson’s disease questionnaire-39; CDS: cognitive difficulties in ADLs.