Neuropsychological assessment in idiopathic REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD)

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Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the cognitive performance of patients with idiopathic REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD). Methods: The authors studied 17 consecutive patients with idiopathic RBD vs 17 age- and education-matched control subjects. Tests given to each patient and control included Mini-Mental State Examination, verbal and spatial short-term memory, visual selective attention, verbal fluency, prose memory, visuoconstructional abilities, spatial learning, and executive function tests. A self-administered depression rating scale was also used. Results: RBD patients had significantly lower scores than control subjects in two tests: copy of Rey–Osterrieth Figure and Corsi Supraspan Learning. No correlation was found between the results of neuropsychological tests and RBD duration or with polysomnographic findings. Conclusions: Visuospatial constructional dysfunction and altered visuospatial learning may be present in idiopathic RBD. A neuropsychological assessment may be indicated in RBD patients.