A network perspective on cognition in individuals with Parkinson's disease

A network perspective on cognition in individuals with Parkinson's disease

Abstract INTRODUCTION In neuropsychological diagnostics, the assignment of cognitive tests to domains is usually not empirically based. Hence, we aimed to assess the dimensionality structure of cognition in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) and conceptually replicate the findings in cog...

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Main Authors: Daniel Scharfenberg, Elke Kalbe, Monika Balzer‐Geldsetzer, Daniela Berg, Rüdiger Hilker‐Roggendorf, Jan Kassubek, Inga Liepelt‐Scarfone, Brit Mollenhauer, Kathrin Reetz, Oliver Riedel, Sandra Roeske, Jörg B. Schulz, Alexander Storch, Claudia Trenkwalder, Karsten Witt, Hans‐Ulrich Wittchen, Richard Dodel, Anja Ophey
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-01-01
Series:Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring
Subjects:
cognitive decline
cognitive domains
dimensionality analysis
mutualism hypothesis
network analysis
network neuropsychology
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/dad2.70091
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Summary:Abstract INTRODUCTION In neuropsychological diagnostics, the assignment of cognitive tests to domains is usually not empirically based. Hence, we aimed to assess the dimensionality structure of cognition in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) and conceptually replicate the findings in cognitively healthy individuals (CHIs). METHODS We performed Exploratory Graph Analysis (EGA) for dimensionality analysis of cognitive test scores in N = 698 individuals with PD from the DEMPARK/LANDSCAPE study. Redundancy was reduced based on Unique Variable Analysis (UVA) before re‐performing EGA. CHI data (N = 60,398) served as a conceptual replication base. RESULTS EGA identified five dimensions. After removing redundancy identified by UVA, EGA identified a unidimensional structure of cognitive test scores. The findings were conceptually replicated in CHIs. DISCUSSION The findings imply the need to re‐evaluate the composition of cognitive test batteries to reduce redundancy and improve the validity of cognitive diagnostics. Cognition may be better described as a network of interrelated cognitive functions rather than a factorial structure of latent cognitive domains. Highlights Cognitive test scores of the same paradigm were strongly associated with each other. This finding indicates redundancy in the cognitive test battery. After removing redundancy, scores were best represented by unidimensional structures. The findings in Parkinson's disease were conceptually replicated in healthy controls. The results suggest that cognition should be viewed as a complex “network” of interrelated functions.
ISSN:2352-8729

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